Formación del heteroreceptor oxitocina - serotonina 5-HT1A: relevancia de la interacción receptor-receptor en el tratamiento de trastornos de ansiedad

Abstract

Anxiety and depression disorders represent the mental pathologies of higher prevalence in the population making it is a serious public health problem worldwide. It has now been reported that both homodimer and heterodimer formation and allosteric regulation occurring among the protomers involved in receptor-receptor interactions represent important therapeutic targets for the treatment of mental illness. The present investigation was based on demonstrating the physical interaction between the oxytocin receptor (OxTR) and the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor (5-HT1AR). The results show the expression of OxTR-GFP and 5-HT1AR-YFP receptors in the cytoplasmic membrane of HeLa cells. In addition, it is demonstrated through a technique with the biophysical basis that these receptors colocalize in the discrete zones of the cell membrane as well, the treatment of HeLa cells that coexpress both receptors with a specific agency of 5-HT1AR (8-OH- DPAT, 10nM) induce the internalization of OxTR. The results indicate the formation of an OxTR / 5-HT1AR heterodimer and suggest that there is a positive regulation in the receptor-receptor interaction, therefore this heteroreceptor may constitute a therapeutic target for anxiety and depression disorders.