Main description:

This book describes the current state of knowledge in receptor function in the development of new drugs. Science is on the verge of viewing effector molecules and other regulatory sites as therapeutic targets for the amelioration of human and animal disease. The book reviews the availability of state-of-the-art tools that allow measurement of interactions and afford unprecedented insight into the biomolecular interactions that present novel approaches to drug design.

Contents:

Molecular and Functional Diversity of the TRP Family of Ion Channels. TRPC Channels and the ROCE/SOCE Conundrum.- Functional rescue of misfolded receptor mutants.- Obesity-related mutations of leptin and melanocortin receptors.- cAMP and cGMP-dependent control of lipolysis and lipid mobilization in humans: putative targets for fat cell management.- Central neuropeptide receptors involved in water balance : application to apelin.- Targeting regulators of G protein signalling (RGS proteins) to enhance agonist selectivity.- Dimeric GPCRs: what did we learn from the metabotropic glutamate receptors.- Guiding principles applied in the design of GPCR-selective hypothalamic hormone agonists and antagonists.- Mutations in G proteins and G protein-coupled receptors in human disease.- A molecular dissection of glycoprotein hormone receptors.- Receptor Tyrosine Kinases as Target for Cancer Therapy Development.- Targets for pituitary tumor therapy.- The endogenous cannabinoid system in the control of food intake and energy balance.- Subject Index