Targeting Amino Acid Networks Could Lead To More Precise Medicines

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Amino acids play a basal domiciled successful regulating really cells respond to drugs. These molecules, which shape proteins, enactment for illustration bricks that pass pinch each different wrong a structure. In this way, they activity together to modulate nan cellular response, which could thief create much effective and safer treatments, according to an world study led by nan Hospital del Mar Research Institute and published successful Nature Communications.

The study focused connected a circumstantial cellular receptor, nan cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2), a cardinal macromolecule successful nan quality immune system. It belongs to a family of proteins known arsenic G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are responsible for transmitting accusation into cells. Remarkably, these receptors are nan target of 1 successful 3 approved drugs, covering treatments for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, asthma, and intelligence wellness disorders.

The researchers utilized machine simulations, laboratory experiments, and instrumentality learning devices to analyse each amino acerb successful nan receptor 1 by 1 and observe really each alteration affected its behavior. As Dr. Jana Selent, coordinator of nan GPCR Drug Discovery Research Group wrong nan Biomedical Informatics Research Program astatine nan Hospital del Mar Research Institute, and subordinate interrogator astatine Pompeu Fabra University, explains:

"The astir breathtaking portion is that we've learned really these mini building blocks activity wrong a immense web to activate circumstantial cellular responses". This could make it imaginable that, "by targeting cardinal points successful this network, we tin now creation narcotics that guideline nan receptor precisely toward nan desired response", adds Dr. Selent, who led nan study.

A networked system influencing cells

The study showed that amino acids do not enactment successful isolation; instead, they perpetually pass done a move web that modulates really cells respond to different stimuli - whether cellular signals, medications, aliases biology changes. In nan lawsuit of nan cannabinoid receptor type 2, they steer nan cellular consequence toward beneficial pathways, avoiding others that could origin unwanted effects.

With this knowledge, researchers tin move toward much meticulous and targeted treatments - a peculiarly important use successful diseases wherever existent narcotics tin trigger undesirable broadside effects.

"It's for illustration giving a supplier nonstop instruction to scope only nan circumstantial spot we want, and obscurity else", explains Miguel Diéguez, co-author of nan study and a investigation trainee astatine nan Hospital del Mar Research Institute.

All results, datasets, and devices generated by this investigation person been made publically disposable done nan level https://gpcrmd.org/ truthful immoderate interrogator tin entree and usage them.

Source:

Journal reference:

Morales-Pastor, A., et al. (2025) Multiple intramolecular triggers converge to preferential G macromolecule coupling successful nan CB2R. Nature Communications. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60003-0.

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