| 1. |
- Alsehli, Ahmed
(författare)
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The role of HMG-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) and statin medication in the Central Nervous System : Cognitive Functions, Metabolism, Feeding and Sleep Behaviour
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Millions of people are currently on statin medications (HMGCR inhibitors) to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Despite considerable central nervous system expression, little is known about HMGCR function in the brain. In Paper I, we used Drosophila and rodent models and found that inhibiting Hmgcr expression in the insulin-producing cells of the Drosophila hypothalamus equivalent, known as the pars intercerebralis (PI), throughout development, significantly reduces the expression of Insulin–like peptides 2 and 3 (ILP2 and ILP3), severely decreasing insulin signalling. This reduction causes decreased body size, hyperglycemia, increased lipid storage, and hyperphagia. We also discovered that Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (Fpps), an enzyme downstream of Hmgcr in the mevalonate pathway, is required for ILP2 expression in the PI. In rodents, acute inhibition of hypothalamic Hmgcr stimulates food intake as well. Furthermore, in rats, we found two regions within the hypothalamus that had significantly increased neural activity, the paraventricular nucleus and arcuate nucleus, which are known to regulate food intake. In Paper II, we explored the effects of statins on cognition and performed an observational study on a population-based sample from the UK Biobank. Cognitive performance in terms of reaction time, working memory and fluid intelligence was analysed at baseline and two follow-ups. Subjects were classified depending on age (up to 65 and over 65 years). The effect of statin use differed between the two age groups, with a beneficial effect on reaction time in older persons and fluid intelligence in both age groups, and a negative effect on working memory in younger subjects. In Paper III, we examined association of single nucleotide polymorphisms within the HMGCR gene, rs17238484 and rs12916, with self-reported insomnia symptoms. We found that statin users are associated with a higher risk for self-reported insomnia. The HMGCR genetic variants were also associated with self-reported insomnia, but in different manner. Carriers the rs12916-T risk allele had a protective effect from insomnia symptoms. No associations were found for either statin takers or carriers of these HGCMR risk alleles and late evening chronotype. The increased risk of insomnia noted with statins is partially explained by a mechanism that might be independent of HMGCR inhibition. In Paper IV, we discovered a novel role for Hmgcr in sleep regulation in Drosophila, where lacking of pan-neuronal Hmgcr expression causes sleep-promoting effects. We also found that loss of Hmgcr expression specifically in the PI insulin-producing cells, recapitulates the effect of pan-neuronal Hmgcr inhibition. Conversely, inhibiting Hmgcr in only six PI DH44 expressing neurons has the opposite effect on sleep, increasing sleep latency and decreasing sleep duration. This bi-functional property of Hmgcr in the fly brain underlies its importance in sleep regulation. Furthermore, loss of Hmgcr showed no effect on circadian rhythm, suggesting that Hmgcr regulates sleep by pathways distinct from the circadian clock.
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| 2. |
- Alsiö, Johan
(författare)
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From Food Preference to Craving : Behavioural Traits and Molecular Mechanisms
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Preference for palatable and energy-dense foods may be a risk factor for body weight gain and has both genetic and environmental components. Once obesity develops in an individual, weight loss is difficult to achieve. Indeed, obesity is often characterized by repeated attempts to reduce the overconsumption of energy-dense foods, followed by food craving and relapse to overconsumption. Relapse and loss of control over intake are observed also in drug addicts, and it has been shown that obesity and drug addiction not only share behavioural features but also neural circuitry, e.g. the mesolimbic dopamine pathway. In this thesis, we sought to investigate the mechanisms related to food preferences and craving using animal models previously used in addiction research. The risk of gaining weight may implicate behavioural traits and emotional states. We showed in rats that a risk-taking behavioural profile was associated both with increased preference for a high-fat (HF) diet and with increased motivational response to a palatable high-sucrose (HS) diet. Hypothalamic urocortin 2 expression was associated with the preference for the HF diet. We also tested the hypothesis that consumption of HS and HF diets separately or provided simultaneously (HFHS) affect anxiety-like behaviour and locomotion. Furthermore, we showed that withdrawal from HFHS food affects diet-induced obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) animals differently. OP animals had increased motivation (craving) for HS food pellets as measured by the operant self-administration technique during withdrawal. Dopamine receptor expression in the striatum differed between OP and OR animals both at access to HFHS and during withdrawal. This strongly implicates dopaminergic signaling in the OP phenotype. In humans, food preferences may be monitored using questionnaires. We analyzed food preference data from parents of preschool children, and identified an inverse association of parental preference for high-fat high-protein food and overweight in children. In conclusion, we have employed animal models previously used in the addiction field to identify molecular mechanisms related both to food preference and vulnerability to obesity, and to food craving associated with withdrawal from palatable food. These findings add to our current understanding of obesity.
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| 3. |
- Attwood, Misty M.
(författare)
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Membrane-bound proteins : Characterization, evolution, and functional analysis
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Alpha-helical transmembrane proteins are important components of many essential cell processes including signal transduction, transport of molecules across membranes, protein and membrane trafficking, and structural and adhesion activities, amongst others. Their involvement in critical networks makes them the focus of interest in investigating disease pathways, as candidate drug targets, and in evolutionary analyses to identify homologous protein families and possible functional activities. Transmembrane (TM) proteins can be categorized into major groups based the same gross structure, i.e., the number of transmembrane helices, which are often correlated with specific functional activities, for example as receptors or transporters. The focus of this thesis was to analyze the evolution of the membrane proteome from the last holozoan common ancestor (LHCA) through metazoans to garner insight into the fundamental functional clusters that underlie metazoan diversity and innovation. Twenty-four eukaryotic proteomes were analyzed, with results showing more than 70% of metazoan transmembrane protein families have a pre-metazoan origin. In concert with that, we characterized the previously unstudied groups of human proteins with three, four, and five membrane-spanning regions (3TM, 4TM, and 5TM) and analyzed their functional activities, involvement in disease pathways, and unique characteristics. Combined, we manually curated and classified nearly 11% of the human transmembrane proteome with these three studies. The 3TM data set included 152 proteins, with nearly 45% that localize specifically to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and are involved in membrane biosynthesis and lipid biogenesis, proteins trafficking, catabolic processes, and signal transduction due to the large ionotropic glutamate receptor family. The 373 proteins identified in the 4TM data set are predominantly involved in transport activities, as well as cell communication and adhesion, and function as structural elements. The compact 5TM data set includes 58 proteins that engage in localization and transport activities, such as protein targeting, membrane trafficking, and vesicle transport. Notably, ~60% are identified as cancer prognostic markers that are associated with clinical outcomes of different tumour types. This thesis investigates the evolutionary origins of the human transmembrane proteome, characterizes formerly dark areas of the membrane proteome, and extends the fundamental knowledge of transmembrane proteins.
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| 4. |
- Bandstein, Marcus, 1988-
(författare)
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The role of genetics in regulation of weight loss and food intake
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- While obesity is a world leading health problem, the most efficient treatment option for severely obese patients is Roux-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. However, there are large inter-individual differences in weight loss after RYGB surgery. The reasons for this are not yet elucidated and the role of genetics in weight loss-regulation is still not fully understood. The main aim for this thesis was to investigate the effects of common obesity-associated genetic variants and their effect on weight loss and food intake.We examined if the weight loss two years following RYGB surgery depends on the FTO genotype, as well as pre-surgery vitamin D status. For FTO AA-carriers, the surgery resulted in a 3% per-allele increased excess BMI loss (EBMIL; P=0.02). When split by vitamin D baseline status, the EBMIL of vitamin D deficient patients carrying AA exceeded that of vitamin D deficient patients carrying TT by 14% (P=0.03). No such genotypic differences were found in patients without pre-surgery vitamin D deficiency.As the influence of individual single nucleotide polymorphisms may be small, we identified a novel method to combine SNPs into a genetic risk score (GRS). Using the random forest model, SNPs with high impact on weight loss after RYGB surgery were filtered out. An up to 11% lower EBMIL with higher risk score was estimated for the GRS model (p=0.026) composed of seven BMI-associated SNPs (closest genes: MC4R, TMEM160, PTBP2, NUDT3, TFAP2B, ZNF608 and MAP2K5).Pre-surgical hunger feelings were found to be associated with EBMIL and the SNP rs4846567. Before surgery, patients filled out the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and were genotyped for known BMI and waist-hip ratio (WHR) associated SNPs. Patients with the lowest hunger scores had up to 32% greater EBMIL compared to the highest scoring patients (P=0.002). TT-allele carriers of rs4846567 showed a 58% lower hunger feelings. TT- carriers also showed a 51% decrease in disinhibition, but no significant impact on cognitive restraint was observed.Due to the association of eating behaviour and weight loss, acute effects on DNA methylation in response to a food intake intervention of a standardized meal were also investigated.After food intake, 1832 CpG sites were differentially methylated compared to the baseline after multiple testing correction. When adjusted for white blood cell fractions, 541 CpG sites remained. This may be interpreted as that the immune system is playing an active role in the response to food intake and highlights the dynamic nature of DNA-methylation.These findings will contribute to a better care for morbidly obese patients. Post-surgical treatment may be optimized so that patients with a less favourable genetic profile may receive additional support for weight loss and weight management. This may be considered as a step in the transition towards personalized medicine.
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| 5. |
- Bjarnadóttir, Þóra Kristín, 1978-
(författare)
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The Gene Repertoire of G protein-coupled Receptors : New Genes, Phylogeny, and Evolution
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is one of the largest protein families of mammalian genomes and can be divided into five main families; Glutamate, Rhodopsin, Adhesion, Frizzled, and Secretin. GPCRs participate in most major physiological functions, contributing to the fact that they are important targets in drug discovery. In paper I we mined the human and mouse genomes for new Adhesion GPCR genes. We found two new human genes (GPR133 and GPR144) and 17 mouse Adhesion genes, bringing the number up to 33 human and 31 mouse genes. In paper II we describe 53 new splice variants for human Adhesion receptors supported by expressed sequence tags (EST) data. 29 of these variants seem to code for functional proteins, several of which lack one or more functional domains in the N-termini. Lack of certain domains is likely to affect ligand binding or interaction with other proteins. Paper III describes the Glutamate GPCR in human, mouse, Fugu, and zebrafish. We gathered a total of 22 human, 79 mouse, 30 Fugu, and 32 zebrafish sequences and grouped these into eight clans using phylogenetic methods. The report provides an overview of the expansion or deletions among the different branches of the Glutamate receptor family. Paper IV focuses on the trace amine (TA) clan of Rhodopsin GPCRs. We identified 18 new rodent genes, 57 zebrafish genes, and eight Fugu genes belonging to the clan. Chromosomal mapping together with phylogenetic relationships suggests that the family arose through several mechanisms involving tetraploidisation, block duplications, and local duplication events. Paper V provides a comprehensive dataset of the GPCR superfamily of human and mouse containing 495 mouse and 400 human non-olfactory GPCRs. Phylogenetic analyses showed that 329 of the receptors are found in one-to-one orthologous pairs, whereas other receptors may have originated from species-specific expansions.
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| 6. |
- Cao, Hao
(författare)
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Exposure to xenobiotic chemicals disrupts metabolism, rhythmicity and cell proliferation in Drosophila melanogaster
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Most species are constantly exposed to xenobiotic chemicals through multiple routes. Among all categories of xenobiotics, phthalates and bisphenols are two of the most widely used plasticizers and can be found in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials, medical devices and even drinking water. In paper I, we found that bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) exposure caused a significant decrease in circulating carbohydrates and insulin-related genes. The Multidrug-Resistance like Protein 1 (MRP1, MRP in Drosophila) belongs to the ATP-binding cassette transporter family, and previous studies revealed the importance of MRP1 for transporting xenobiotics. However, the function of MRP1 in metabolism and other biological processes is still unclear. Therefore, in paper II, we showed that knocking down MRP expression in Malpighian tubules, the physiological equivalence of the vertebrate kidney, led to disrupted lipid homeostasis and oxidative resistance. In paper III and IV, we initially used whole transcriptome sequencing to assess the genetic interferences of exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (BADGE). The reproductive and developmental disruptions of DBP had been reported in many studies. However, the mechanism is still unclear. In paper III, we observed that DBP interfered with neuronal systems associated circadian genes, including in vrille (vri, human NFIL3), timeless (tim, human TIMELESS), period (per, human PER3) and Pigment-dispersing factor (Pdf). Furthermore, we demonstrated that the evolutionarily conserved gene, Hormone receptor-like in 38 (Hr38, human NR4A2) was involved in responding to DBP and regulated Pdf expression as a consequence. In paper IV, BADGE, a BPA-substitute, was tested for its disruptive effects on Drosophila. Based on the transcriptome sequencing, we found that several mitotic genes, including string (stg, human CDC25A), Cyclin B (CycB, human CCNB1), Cyclin E (CycE, human CCNE1), and pan gu (png, human NEK11), had detectable overexpression by BADGE exposure. Developmental exposure to BADGE induced a large increase of hemocytes in fly 3rd instar larvae, while it did not damage the morphological structure of lymph gland and blood circulation. To summarize, our studies describe the potential disruptions of the industrial xenobiotics and provide the mechanistic hints for future investigations.
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| 7. |
- Cedernaes, Jonathan
(författare)
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Intestinal Gene Expression Profiling and Fatty Acid Responses to a High-fat Diet
- 2013
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) regulates nutrient uptake, secretes hormones and has a crucial gut flora and enteric nervous system. Of relevance for these functions are the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and the solute carriers (SLCs). The Adhesion GPCR subfamily is known to mediate neural development and immune system functioning, whereas SLCs transport e.g. amino acids, fatty acids (FAs) and drugs over membranes. We aimed to comprehensively characterize Adhesion GPCR and SLC gene expression along the rat GIT. Using qPCR we measured expression of 78 SLCs as well as all 30 Adhesion GPCRs in a twelve-segment GIT model. 21 of the Adhesion GPCRs had a widespread (≥5 segments) or ubiquitous (≥11 segments) expression. Restricted expression patterns were characteristic for most group VII members. Of the SLCs, we found the majority (56 %) of these transcripts to be expressed in all GIT segments. SLCs were predominantly found in the absorption-responsible gut regions. Both Adhesion GPCRs and SLCs were widely expressed in the rat GIT, suggesting important roles. The distribution of Adhesion GPCRs defines them as a potential pharmacological target.FAs constitute an important energy source and have been implicated in the worldwide obesity increase. FAs and their ratios – indices for activities of e.g. the desaturase enzymes SCD-1 (SCD-16, 16:1n-7/16:0), D6D (18:3n-6/18:2n-6) and D5D (20:4n-6/20:3n-6) – have been associated with e.g. overall mortality and BMI. We examined whether differences in FAs and their indices in five lipid fractions contributed to obesity susceptibility in rats fed a high fat diet (HFD), and the associations of desaturase indices between lipid fractions in animals on different diets. We found that on a HFD, obesity-prone (OP) rats had a higher SCD-16 index and a lower linoleic acid (LA) proportions in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) than obesity-resistant rats. Desaturase indices were significantly correlated between many of the lipid fractions. The higher SCD-16 may indicate higher SCD-1 activity in SAT in OP rats, and combined with lower LA proportions may provide novel insights into HFD-induced obesity. The associations between desaturase indices show that plasma measurements can serve as proxies for some lipid fractions, but the correlations seem to be affected by diet and weight gain.
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| 8. |
- Desai Boström, Adrian, 1990-
(författare)
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Epigenetic dysregulation in relation to psychiatric traits in adolescence and adulthood
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Epigenetics has evolved into a key research focus in the field of psychiatry. DNA methylation is the most researched epigenetic mechanism. In paper I-III, 130 and 93 adolescents were randomly recruited at two separate intervals. Subjects were evaluated by web-based diagnostic interviews using the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA), providing computer generated diagnostic predictions of probability of diagnosis, covering several psychiatric disorders. For Paper I-II, the genome-wide DNA methylation pattern was measured from whole blood using the Illumina 450K array, and for paper IV by the Illumina EPIC BeadChip. In paper I, a methylome-wide association study (MWAS) was conducted (n=93) followed by a validation analysis (n=78), contrasting methylation levels in groups stratified by DAWBA depression risk scores. A microRNA4646 (MIR4646) associated methylation locus was differentially methylated in the MWAS (pbonf<0.05) and results were replicated in the validation cohort (p<0.05). Methylation levels at the identified locus correlated inversely with gene expression levels of MIR4456 (p<0.05). In silico analysis suggests MIR4646 may influence synthesis of omega-3 fatty acids, previously implicated in major depressive disorder. In paper II, 37 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP:s) previously associated with psychiatric disease were evaluated in relation to genome-wide DNA methylation levels in 130 adolescents in a methylome-wide (mQTL) analysis. Five SNP-CpG pairs were identified (pbonf<0.05) and replicated (p<0.05). Methylation of three of these were shown to be significantly correlated with gene expression levels of the associated genes (p<0.05). One identified GAD1-coupled methylation site was differentially methylated to a general psychiatric risk score in adolescents (p<0.05). In Paper III, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis coupled DNA methylation loci were investigated in 88 suicide attempters to identify associations to severity of suicide attempt. One corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)-associated CpG-site was significantly hypomethylated in the high-risk group of suicide-attempters (n=31)(cg19035496, p<0.001) and exhibited hypermethylation in an external study group of adolescents in dependency of a general psychiatric risk score (p<0.05). In paper IV, 8,852 microRNA (miRNA) associated CpG-sites were investigated for an association with hypersexual disorder (HD). A microRNA-4456 (MIR4456) associated CpG-site (cg01299774) was borderline significant in HD (pFDR=5.81E-02) and differentially methylated in alcohol dependence (p<0.05) in an independent study group. Methylation levels at cg01299774 correlated inversely with expression levels of MIR4456 (p<0.01) and MIR4456 was lower expressed in HD (p<0.05). In-silico analyses suggests MIR4456 putatively targets genes preferentially expressed in brain and that are involved in major neuronal molecular mechanisms thought to be relevant for HD, e.g., the oxytocin signaling pathway.
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| 9. |
- Eriksson, Anders, 1987-
(författare)
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Functional and Molecular Characterization of Centrally Expressed Genes Associated with Obesity
- 2015
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Obesity is a complex disorder that has reached epidemic proportions in the Western world, currently affection more than two billion people. The evidence for the genetic influence on obesity has been estimated to be as high as 70% based on twin studies. Subsequent application of genome wide association studies has identified more than 90 genes to be associated with BMI. Despite great efforts the majority of the identified genetic variants have an unknown link to BMI and lack scientific basis explaining how they affect energy balance resulting in altered body weight. This thesis aims to characterize seven BMI-associated genes, Coronin 7, Etv5, Mtch2, Nudt3, Raptor, Sh2b1 and Vps13B by performing a molecular and functional profiling in mouse, zebrafish and fruit fly. A screen analysing the regulation of the selected genes under different dietary conditions revealed altered transcript levels in mouse, zebrafish and fruit fly including a conserved regulation in all species for some of the genes. Using genetic tools the Nudt3 homolog Aps in the Drosophila CNS was knocked down and showed that Aps has a role in the regulation of insulin signaling which could explain the robust association to obesity in humans. A comprehensive in situ hybridization revealed abundant Nudt3 mRNA and protein expression throughout the brain, including in reward and feeding related regions of the hypothalamus while Nudt3 mRNA expression was significantly up-regulated in the same region of food-deprived mice. Furthermore, we were able to identify a novel molecular link between obesity and bipolar disorder. The Drosophila homologue Ets96B regulates the expression of a cellular system with links to obesity and bipolar disorder, including the expression of a conserved endoplasmic reticulum molecular chaperone complex. A connection between the obesity-linked gene ETV5 and bipolar disorder emphasizes a functional relationship between obesity and bipolar disorder at the molecular level. Furthermore, as the BMI associated genetic variants does not fully explain the heritability of obesity we decided to perform a genome wide DNA methylation profile where we compared normal-weight and obese preadolescent children. We found a CpG site located near Coronin 7 to have significantly lower methylation levels in obese children. Further studies showed Coronin 7 to be highly expressed in important brain regions involved in energy balance. Strong immunostaining was also seen in locus coeruleus, the main site for noradrenergic production, and injecting mice with an appetite suppressant increased the number of Coronin 7 neurons within the very same brain region. An evolutionary conserved metabolic function in Drosophila was also demonstrated by knocking down the Coronin 7 homologue Pod1 in the fruit fly adult nervous system.
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| 10. |
- Gloriam, David E., 1978-
(författare)
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G Protein-Coupled Receptors; Discovery of New Human Members and Analyses of the Entire Repertoires in Human, Mouse and Rat
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are signal mediators that have a prominent role in the regulation of physiological processes and they make up the targets for 30-45% of all drugs. Papers I and II describe the discovery of new human GPCRs belonging to the Rhodopsin family, a family which contains many common drug targets. The new receptors have only weak relationships to previously known GPCRs. However, they have been evolutionary conserved in several species and most of them display distinct expression patterns. In paper III we identified new human GPCRs belonging to the Adhesion family, which is characterised by very long N-termini containing conserved domains. The different compositions of conserved domains as well as the expression patterns suggest that the Adhesions can have several different functions. In paper IV we revealed remarkable species variations in the repertoires of Trace Amine-Associated Receptors (TAARs), which are relatives of the biogenic amine receptors. The human, mouse and rat TAAR genes are located in only one locus and are therefore most likely the result of gene tandem duplications. 47 of the 57 zebrafish TAARs were mapped to nine different loci on six chromosomes containing from 1 to 27 genes each. This study suggests that the TAARs arose through several different mechanisms involving tetraploidisation, block duplications, and local duplication events. Papers V and VI are overall analyses of the repertoires of GPCRs in humans, mice and rats; which contain approximately 800, 1800 and 1900 members, respectively. The repertoires were compared to distinguish between species-specific and common (orthologous) members, something which is important for example when predicting drug effects from experiments in rodents. The Glutamate, Adhesion, Frizzled and Secretin families show no or very little variation between human and rodents, whereas the repertoires of olfactory, vomeronasal and Taste2 receptors display large differences between all three species.
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