cell signalling Flashcards
signal transduction
conversion of information from one physical/chemical form to another
(to pass on signal from signal molec to receiving cell)
agonist
any ligand/signal that activates a receptor
antagonist
ligand that blocks actions of agonist
–> competitive binding to receptor
desensitization
INactivation of receptor
(prepare for reception of new signal)
go to “clean slate”
cross-talk
interaction between signaling pathways
intermediates and products of pathways can affect behavior of other pathways
1st major illumination of (existence of) signalling pathways
studying retroviruses
– found that Rous sarcoma virus transmission could cause tumors (–> discovered basic signalling molecs bc studied the viruses)
proto-oncogene
normal cellular gene, NOT (yet) oncogenic.
= responsible for some part of cell proliferation/growth
(can become oncogenic if mutated)
oncoprotein
the actual protein (encoded by an oncogene) responsible for cancerous cell growth and proliferation
specificity
signaling molec must fit (and be specific/unique) to the binding site on its complimentary receptor
major features of signal transduction systems (6)
- specificity (high)
- affinity (high)
- sensitivity (high)
- amplification
- integration(must exist)
- desensitization/adaptation (must exist)
specificity determined by…
- complementarity between signal and receptor
- tissue/cell-specific receptor distribution
- tissue/cell-specific intracellular response system (vary in distribution)
Integration characteristic(s)
applies uniform response throughout environment
signal types
- hydrophilic (proteins, polypeptides, AA derivatives – epinephrine and norepinephrine)
- hydrophobic (cholesterol and fatty acid derivatives)
- both (dissolved gases – NO, CO)
characteristics of hydrophilic signal molecs
- can be stored
- short half-life
- receptors on plasma membrane
- indirect mechanisms
paracrine system
LOCAL signaling (w/in tissue/body region),
releases signal molecs to the extracellular space.
- lower affinity at receptors
ie: immune (cytokines), development
autocrine system
specialized paracrine signaling,
release local mediators, bind to same (own) cell type.
receptor type and proximity => specificity
7 steps in signalling
- synthesize signal
- release signal
- transport to target cell
- bind to receptor
- cell response
- remove signal (from receptor)
- terminate response
orphan receptors (type II)
non-steroid nuclear receptors, originally did not have known ligands! (now many do)
Selective Receptor Modulators (SRMs)
type of drug, = lab-engineered NR ligands,
are tissue-selective receptor agonist or antagonists.
*can also be MIXED (agonist and antagonist for different tissues at once)
ie: tamoxifen or raloxifene (for breast cancer)
mechanism of differential tissue-selectivity for SRMs
the NR changes conformation depending on which SRM binds,
–> diff. co-regulatory proteins bind to the NR
- ligand differences depend on small changes to sequence in “P-Box”
P-Box
the site at which the sequences of different SRMs vary most.
change p-box ==> change tissue-binding characteristics
DNA-binding mechanism for NRs
NRs bind to HREs (hormone response elements) on DNA
via Zinc fingers,
(type I: palindromes; type 2: direct repeats)
*few DNA seqs bind NRs, BUT most that DO encode transcription factors, so can influence more genes!
Hormone Response Element (HRE)
a sequence of DNA which binds NRs,
- palindrome (inverted repeat) for type I NRs
- direct repeat for type II NRs
*NOT unique across tissues/genes, get specificity elsewhere
PPAR alpha
NR in liver, binds fibrates;
regulates FA oxidation, lowers serum lipid levels;
(increase lipid oxidation, lower circulating triglycerides)
- dyslipidemia