Oxytocin and vasopressin signaling in health and disease

Trends Biochem Sci. 2024 Feb 27:S0968-0004(24)00030-6. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.01.010. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTNeurohypophysial peptides are ancient and evolutionarily highly conserved neuropeptides that regulate many crucial physiological functions in vertebrates and invertebrates. The human neurohypophysial oxytocin/vasopressin (OT/VP) signaling system with its four receptors has become an attractive drug target for a variety of diseases, including cancer, pain, cardiovascular indications, and neurological disorders. Despite its promise, drug development faces hurdles, including signaling complexity, selectivity and off-target concerns, translational interspecies differences, and inefficient drug delivery. In this review we dive into the complexity of the OT/VP signaling systems in health and disease, provide an overview of relevant pharmacological probes, and discuss the latest trends in therapeutic lead discovery and drug development.PMID:38418338 | DOI:10.1016/j.tibs.2024.01.010
Source: Trends in Biochemical Sciences - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Source Type: research