Functional of GPR143, a novel G protein-coupled receptor for L-DOPA

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390062
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General pharmacology
• Research Institution: Yokohama City University
• Principal Investigator: GOSHIMA Yoshio 横浜市立大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (00153750)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKAMURA Fumio 横浜市立大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10262023) ; OIKAWA Masato 横浜市立大学, 生命ナノシステム科学研究科, 教授 (70273571) ; SUZUKI Tsutomu 星薬科大学, 薬学部, 教授 (90130757)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OKABE Takayoshi 東京大学, 創薬機構, 特任教授 (80570671) ; FUKUNISHI Yoshifumi 独立行政法人産業技術総合研究所, 創薬分子プロファイリング研究センター, 研究チーム長 (60357895)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ドーパ / 眼白子症 / 神経伝達物質 / G蛋白質連関型受容体 / OA-1

Outline of Final Research Achievements

L-DOPA (DOPA) is generally considered to alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by its conversion to dopamine. We have proposed that DOPA is itself a neurotransmitter. However, specific receptors for DOPA have not been identified. In this study, we demonstrated that GPR143, the gene product of ocular albinism 1 (OA1), mediated DOPA-induced depressor and bradycardic response in the nucleus tractus solitarii. OA1 was expressed not only in the central nervous system such as substantia nigra, striatum, olfactory bulb, hypothalamic median eminence and lower brain stem, but also in peripheral tissues including liver, kidney, lung and spleen. These findings further add to the evidence for a neurotransmitter role for DOPA.

Free Research Field

神経生物学、分子薬理学