Title:Tuning Down the Pain – An Overview of Allosteric Modulation of Opioid Receptors: Mechanisms of Modulation, Allosteric Sites, Modulator Syntheses
Volume: 20
Issue: 31
Author(s): Damian Bartuzi*, Tomasz M. Wróbel, Agnieszka A. Kaczor and Dariusz Matosiuk
Affiliation:
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modelling Lab, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin,Poland
Keywords:
Allostery, Allosteric modulation, Allosteric pocket, GPCRs, Opioid receptors, Probe dependence.
Abstract: Opioid signaling plays a central role in pain perception. As such, it remains the main target in
the development of antinociceptive agents, despite serious side effects involved. In recent years, hopes
for improved opioid painkillers are rising, together with our understanding of allosterism and biased signaling
mechanisms. In this review, we focus on recently discovered allosteric modulators of opioid receptors,
insights into phenomena underlying their action, as well as on how they extend our understanding
of mechanisms of previously known compounds. A brief overlook of their synthesis is also presented.