receptors

A study from the Tokyo University of Science shows that targeting delta opioid receptors (DOP) in the brain’s PL-BLA pathway with the agonist KNT-127 can significantly reduce anxiety-like behavior in mice, paving the way for new anxiety disorder treatments. Credit: SciTechDaily.comStudy reveals mechanistic roles of delta opioid receptors and specific neuronal pathways that are involved in anxiety-like behaviors in mice.Anxiety-related disorders can have a profound impact on the mental health and quality of life of…

Humans have bitter taste receptors not only in their mouths but in their lungs, too. Researchers have exploited these receptors’ innate ability to dilate the airways to create a potent new drug that may change how we treat diseases like asthma and COPD.The bitter taste receptor subtype TAS2R14 is found on the tongue and in the smooth muscle of the airways, and activation of TAS2R14 causes bronchodilatation, or relaxation of the smooth muscles, widening the airways. TAS2R14's action is more potent than existing…

People with asthma or COPD might one day benefit from new treatments that trigger bitter taste receptors.Interestingly, bitter taste receptors are not just found in the mouth but also in other parts of the body, such as the airways. When activated, these receptors can open lung passages, making them a possible target for treating asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In a recent study published in ACS’ Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, researchers have developed a powerful and selective compound that could…

Our ancestors probably didn’t smell good, but did they smell well? A new study has grown odor receptors from Neanderthals and Denisovans, and tested their sensitivities to different smells compared to modern humans.For hundreds of thousands of years, Homo sapiens shared the world with other species of archaic humans. Neanderthals lived throughout Europe and some of Asia, while Denisovans lived across Russia and down into southeast Asia, occasionally intermingling and interbreeding with each other and modern humans.There’s…

The researchers have revealed the exact molecular structure of an IgM-type B cell receptor.Freiburg and Harvard University researchers have revealed the three-dimensional structure of the B cell antigen receptor, providing new insight into its composition.B cells have antigen receptors on their surface that allow them to identify invading pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. When a B cell receptor binds to an antigen, that is, to a foreign structure, the B cell is activated which triggers the production of antibodies.…

Loss or alteration of taste (dysgeusia) is a common symptom of COVID. It's also a side effect of several illnesses and medications, including Paxlovid, the new antiviral medication to treat COVID infection.  Although it affects fewer than 6 percent of people who are given Paxlovid, some report a "horrible" taste that came on soon after they started taking the drug.Dysgeusia is described as a bitter, metallic, or sour taste in the mouth. But what exactly is it, and what's going on in the body when it happens?What happens…