NOX1 triggers ferroptosis and ferritinophagy, contributes to Parkinson's disease.

The progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). A newly emerging form of lytic cell death, ferroptosis, has been implicated in PD. However, it remains unclear in terms of PD-associated ferroptosis underlying causative genes and effective therapeutic approaches. This research explored the underlying mechanism of ferroptosis-related genes in PD. Here, Firstly, we found NOX1 associated with ferroptosis differently in PD patients by bioinformatics analysis. In vitro and in vivo models of PD were constructed to explore the underlying mechanism. qPCR, Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Ferro orange, and BODIPY C11 were utilized to analyze the levels of ferroptosis. Transcriptomics sequencing was to investigate the downstream pathway and the analysis of immunoprecipitation to validate the upstream factor. In conclusion, NOX1 upregulation and activation of ferroptosis-related neurodegeneration, therefore, might be useful as a clinical therapeutic agent.

The Potential Role of R4 Regulators of G Protein Signaling (RGS) Proteins in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex and heterogeneous disease that primarily results from impaired insulin secretion or insulin resistance (IR). G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are proposed as therapeutic targets for T2DM. GPCRs transduce signals via the Gα protein, playing an integral role in insulin secretion and IR. The regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) family proteins can bind to Gα proteins and function as GTPase-activating proteins (GAP) to accelerate GTP hydrolysis, thereby terminating Gα protein signaling. Thus, RGS proteins determine the size and duration of cellular responses to GPCR stimulation. RGSs are becoming popular targeting sites for modulating the signaling of GPCRs and related diseases. The R4 subfamily is the largest RGS family. This review will summarize the research progress on the mechanisms of R4 RGS subfamily proteins in insulin secretion and insulin resistance and analyze their potential value in the treatment of T2DM.

Disruption of 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor and orexin receptor 1 heterodimer formation affects novel G protein-dependent signaling pathways and has antidepressant effects in vivo.

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) heterodimers are new targets for the treatment of depression. Increasing evidence supports the importance of serotonergic and orexin-producing neurons in numerous physiological processes, possibly via a crucial interaction between 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor (5-HT1AR) and orexin receptor 1 (OX1R). However, little is known about the function of 5-HT1AR/OX1R heterodimers. It is unclear how the transmembrane domains (TMs) of the dimer affect its function and whether its modulation mediates antidepressant-like effects. Here, we examined the mechanism of 5-HT1AR/OX1R dimerization and downstream G protein-dependent signaling. We found that 5-HT1AR and OX1R form constitutive heterodimers that induce novel G protein-dependent signaling, and that this heterodimerization does not affect recruitment of ß-arrestins to the complex. In addition, we found that the structural interface of the active 5-HT1AR/OX1R dimer transforms from TM4/TM5 in the basal state to TM6 in the active conformation. We also used mutation analyses to identify key residues at the interface (5-HT1AR R1514.40, 5-HT1AR Y1985.41, and OX1R L2305.54). Injection of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rats with TM4/TM5 peptides improved their depression-like emotional status and decreased the number of endogenous 5-HT1AR/OX1R heterodimers in the rat brain. These antidepressant effects may be mediated by upregulation of BDNF levels and enhanced phosphorylation and activation of CREB in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. This study provides evidence that 5-HT1AR/OX1R heterodimers are involved in the pathological process of depression. Peptides including TMs of the 5-HT1AR/OX1R heterodimer interface are candidates for the development of compounds with fast-acting antidepressant-like effects.

The Effects of Apelin and Elabela Ligands on Apelin Receptor Distinct Signaling Profiles.

Apelin and Elabela are endogenous peptide ligands for Apelin receptor (APJ), a widely expressed G protein-coupled receptor. They constitute a spatiotemporal dual ligand system to control APJ signal transduction and function. We investigated the effects of Apelin-13, pGlu1-apelin-13, Apelin-17, Apelin-36, Elabela-21 and Elabela-32 peptides on APJ signal transduction. Whether different ligands are biased to different APJ mediated signal transduction pathways was studied. We observed the different changes of G protein dependent and ß-arrestin dependent signaling pathways after APJ was activated by six peptide ligands. We demonstrated that stimulation with APJ ligands resulted in dose-dependent increases in both G protein dependent [cyclic AMP (cAMP), Ca2+ mobilization, and the early phase extracellular related kinase (ERK) activation] and ß-arrestin dependent [GRKs, ß-arrestin 1, ß-arrestin 2, and ß2 subunit of the clathrin adaptor AP2] signaling pathways. However, the ligands exhibited distinct signaling profiles. Elabela-32 showed a >1000-fold bias to the ß-statin-dependent signaling pathway. These data provide that Apelin-17 was biased toward ß-arrestin dependent signaling. Eabela-21 and pGlu1-Apelin-13 exhibited very distinct activities on the G protein dependent pathway. The activity profiles of these ligands could be valuable for the development of drugs with high selectivity for specific APJ downstream signaling pathways.

Individual phosphorylation sites at the C-terminus of the apelin receptor play different roles in signal transduction.

The apelin and Elabela proteins constitute a spatiotemporal double-ligand system that controls apelin receptor (APJ) signal transduction. Phosphorylation of multiple sites within the C-terminus of APJ is essential for the recruitment of ß-arrestins. We sought to determine the precise mechanisms by which apelin and Elabela promote APJ phosphorylation, and to elucidate the influence of ß-arrestin phosphorylation on G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)/ß-arrestin-dependent signaling. We used techniques including mass spectrometry (MS), mutation analysis, and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) to evaluate the role of phosphorylation sites in APJ-mediated G-protein-dependent and ß-dependent signaling. Phosphorylation of APJ occurred at five serine residues in the C-terminal region (Ser335, Ser339, Ser345, Ser348 and Ser369). We also identified two phosphorylation sites in ß-arrestin1 and three in ß-arrestin2, including three previously identified residues (Ser412, Ser361, and Thr383) and two new sites, Tyr47 in ß-arrestin1 and Tyr48 in ß-arrestin2. APJ mutations did not affect the phosphorylation of ß-arrestins, but it affects the ß-arrestin signaling pathway, specifically Ser335 and Ser339. Mutation of Ser335 decreased the ability of the receptor to interact with ß-arrestin1/2 and AP2, indicating that APJ affects the ß-arrestin signaling pathway by stimulating Elabela. Mutation of Ser339 abolished the capability of the receptor to interact with GRK2 and ß-arrestin1/2 upon stimulation with apelin-36, and disrupted receptor internalization and ß-arrestin-dependent ERK1/2 activation. Five peptides act on distinct phosphorylation sites at the APJ C-terminus, differentially regulating APJ signal transduction and causing different biological effects. These findings may facilitate screening for drugs to treat cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Roles for heterodimerization of APJ and B2R in promoting cell proliferation via ERK1/2-eNOS signaling pathway.

Apelin receptor (APJ) and bradykinin B2 receptor (B2R) play an important role in many physiological processes and share multiple similar characteristics in distribution and functions in the cardiovascular system. We first identified the endogenous expression of APJ and B2R in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and their co-localization on human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells membrane. A suite of bioluminescence and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (BRET and FRET), proximity ligation assay (PLA), and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) was exploited to demonstrate formation of functional APJ and B2R heterodimer in HUVECs and transfected cells. Stimulation with apelin-13 and bradykinin (BK) increased the phosphorylation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in HUVECs, which could be inhibited by the silencing of APJ or B2R, indicating the APJ-B2R dimer is critical for eNOS phosphorylation in HUVECs. Furthermore, the increase of NOS and extracellular signal regulated kinases1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation mediated by APJ/B2R dimer can be inhibited by U0126 and U73122, respectively, suggesting that the heterodimer might activate the PLC/ERK1/2/eNOS signaling pathway, and finally leading to a significant increase in cell proliferation. Thus, we uncovered for the first time the existence of APJ-B2R heterodimer and provided a promising new target in cardiovascular therapeutics.

Transmembrane peptide 4 and 5 of APJ are essential for its heterodimerization with OX1R.

Increasing evidence indicates some G protein-coupled receptors function as a heterodimer, which provide a novel target for therapeutics investigation. However, study on the receptor-receptor interaction interface, a potent target on interfering dimer formation, are still limited. Here, using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) combined with co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), we found a new constitutive GPCR heterodimer, apelin receptor (APJ)-orexin receptor type 1 (OX1R). Both APJ and OX1R co-internalized when constantly subjected to cognate agonist (apelin-13 or orexin-A) specific to either protomer. Combined with BRET and immunostaining, the in vitro synthesized transmembrane peptides (TMs) interfering experiments suggests that TM4 and 5 of APJ act as the interaction interface of the APJ-OX1R heterodimer, and co-internalization could be disrupted by these peptides as well. Our study not only provide new evidence on GPCR heterodimerization, but address a novel heterodimerization interface, which can be severed as a potential pharmacological target.

The Dual Role of Kinin/Kinin Receptors System in Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive spatial disorientation, learning and memory deficits, responsible for 60%-80% of all dementias. However, the pathological mechanism of AD remains unknown. Numerous studies revealed that kinin/kinin receptors system (KKS) may be involved in the pathophysiology of AD. In this review article, we summarized the roles of KKS in neuroinflammation, cerebrovascular impairment, tau phosphorylation, and amyloid ß (Aß) generation in AD. Moreover, we provide new insights into the mechanistic link between KKS and AD, and highlight the KKS as a potential therapeutic target for AD treatment.

Role of the Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 Signaling Pathway in Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), an important member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, is found in many organisms, and it participates in intracellular signal transduction. Various stimuli induce phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in vivo and in vitro. Phosphorylated ERK1/2 moves to the nucleus, activates many transcription factors, regulates gene expression, and controls various physiological processes, finally inducing repair processes or cell death. With the aging of the population around the world, the occurrence of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), especially in the brain, heart, kidney, and other important organs, is becoming increasingly serious. Abnormal activation of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway is closely related to the development and the metabolic mechanisms of IRI. However, the effects of this signaling pathway and the underlying mechanism differ between various models of IRI. This review summarizes the ERK1/2 signaling pathway and the molecular mechanism underlying its role in models of IRI in the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, and other organs. This information will help to deepen the understanding of ERK1/2 signals and deepen the exploration of IRI treatment based on the ERK1/2 study.

Hapln2 in Neurological Diseases and Its Potential as Therapeutic Target.

Hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 2 (Hapln2) is important for the binding of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans to hyaluronan. Hapln2 deficiency leads to the abnormal expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and dysfunctional neuronal conductivity, demonstrating the vital role of Hapln2 in these processes. Studies have revealed that Hapln2 promotes the aggregation of α-synuclein, thereby contributing to neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD), and it was recently suggested to be in intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Additionally, the expression levels of Hapln2 showed lower in the anterior temporal lobes of individuals with schizophrenia than those of healthy subjects. Together, these studies implicate the involvement of Hapln2 in the pathological processes of neurological diseases. A better understanding of the function of Hapln2 in the central nervous system (CNS) will provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of these diseases and help to establish promising therapeutic strategies. Herein, we review the recent progress in defining the role of Hapln2 in brain physiology and pathology.

Neuroanatomical Correlates of Creativity: Evidence From Voxel-Based Morphometry.

Creativity was a special cognitive capacity which was crucial to human survival and prosperity. Remote associates test (RAT), identifying the relationships among remote ideas, was one of the most frequently used methods of measuring creativity. However, the structural characteristics associated with RAT remains unclear. In the present study, the relationship between gray matter density (GMD)/white matter density (WMD) and RAT was explored using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in a larger healthy college student sample (144 women and 117 men). Results showed that the score of RAT was significantly positively related with the GMD in the right anterior superior temporal gyrus (aSTG) and negatively correlated with the GMD in the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Meanwhile, results also showed that the score of RAT was significantly positively related with the WMD in the right dACC and negatively correlated with the WMD in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). These findings indicate that individual creativity, as measured by the RAT, was mainly related to the regional gray /white matter density of brain regions in the aSTG, dACC and IFG, which might have been involved in the forming of novel combinations, breaking of mental set, monitoring of conflict and semantic integration.

Predictors of depressive symptoms in college students: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: To explore predictors of depressive symptoms in college students. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the predictors of depressive symptoms. PubMed/Medline, Embase, Springerlink, EBSCOhost, Cochrane review, PsycINFO, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Weipu database and Wanfang database were searched for cohort or longitudinal studies. Stata version 13.1 was used for statistical meta-analysis. RESULTS: Among 30 cohort studies, 24 studies covering 25,154 college students with the NOS of 6 and over were selected for systematic review and 15 studies met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The predictors of depressive symptoms in college students were gender, baseline depression, neuroticism or psychoticism, negative automatic thoughts or negative rumination, dysfunctional attitude, childhood abuse, sex abuse, and stressful life events. The combined risk ratios and its 95% confidence interval (CI) of each previous predictors were 1.11 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.21), 1.28 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.45), 1.25 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.45), 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01,1.05), 1.17 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.29), 1.05(95% CI: 1.02,1.08), 1.01 (95% CI: 1.00,1.02), and 1.16 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.27), respectively. Perceived social support and family function did not displayed significant predictive effects. Funnel plots showed that publication bias was possible. LIMITATIONS: Screening tools for depressive symptoms do not have the power or specificity of the gold standard measures for depression like the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) or the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which would influence the study validity and the combined estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Specific biological, psychological and environmental factors contribute to depressive symptoms in college students. Consideration of these prognostic factors might be conducive to improve understanding and management of future interventions against depressive symptoms among college students. Due to the highly sophisticated course of depression, it is crucial to summarize theoretical frameworks for depressive symptom interventions among college students.

HDAC4 in ischemic stroke: mechanisms and therapeutic potential.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and the majority of the cases are ischemic stroke. However, it still lacks effective treatment except for thrombolytic therapy in an extremely narrow time window. Increased evidence suggests that histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) was dysregulated in ischemic stroke, which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke and post-stroke recovery by affecting neuronal death, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis. Therefore, we aim to review the dysregulation of HDAC4 in ischemic stroke and the role of dysregulated HDAC4 in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Furthermore, the therapeutic potential of modulating HDAC4 in ischemic stroke is discussed.

Ghrelin Through GHSR1a and OX1R Heterodimers Reveals a Gαs-cAMP-cAMP Response Element Binding Protein Signaling Pathway in Vitro.

Growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1α (GHSR1a) and Orexin 1 receptor (OX1R) are involved in various important physiological processes, and have many similar characteristics in function and distribution in peripheral tissues and the central nervous system. We explored the possibility of heterodimerization between GHSR1a and OX1R and revealed a signal transduction pathway mechanism. In this study, bioluminescence and fluorescence resonance energy transfer and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) analyses were performed to demonstrate the formation of functional GHSR1a/OX1R heterodimers. This showed that a peptide corresponding to the 5-transmembrane domain of OX1R impaired heterodimer construction. We found that ghrelin stimulated GHSR1a/OX1R heterodimer cells to increase the activation of Gαs protein, compared to the cells that express GHSR1a. Stimulation of GHSR1a/OX1R heterodimers with orexin-A did not alter GPCR interactions with Gα protein subunits. GHSR1a/OX1R heterodimers induced Gαs and downstream signaling pathway activity, including increase of cAMP-response element luciferase reporter activity and cAMP levels. In addition, ghrelin induced a higher proliferation rate in SH-SY5Y cells than in controls. This suggests that ghrelin GHSR1a/OX1R heterodimers promotes an upregulation of a Gαs-cAMP-cAMP-responsive element signaling pathway in vitro and an increase in neuroblastoma cell proliferation.

The Orexin/Receptor System: Molecular Mechanism and Therapeutic Potential for Neurological Diseases.

Orexins, also known as hypocretins, are two neuropeptides secreted from orexin-containing neurons, mainly in the lateral hypothalamus (LH). Orexins orchestrate their effects by binding and activating two G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), orexin receptor type 1 (OX1R) and type 2 (OX2R). Orexin/receptor pathways play vital regulatory roles in many physiological processes, especially feeding behavior, sleep-wake rhythm, reward and addiction and energy balance. Furthermore several reports showed that orexin/receptor pathways are involved in pathological processes of neurological diseases such as narcolepsy, depression, ischemic stroke, drug addiction and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This review article summarizes the expression patterns, physiological functions and potential molecular mechanisms of the orexin/receptor system in neurological diseases, providing an overall framework for considering these pathways from the standpoints of basic research and clinical treatment of neurological diseases.

Apelin­13 attenuates ER stress­associated apoptosis induced by MPP+ in SH­SY5Y cells.

Apelin­13, a neuropeptide that acts as a ligand for a putative receptor related to the angiotensin II type receptor, elicits neuroprotective effects in numerous neurological conditions, such as Huntington's disease and cerebral ischemia. Parkinson's disease (PD), one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, is caused by damage to neurons in the brain; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The present study explored the effects of apelin­13 on SH­SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells treated with 1­methyl­4­phenylpyridine (MPP+). Cell growth, cell viability, and apoptosis were measured by real­time cell analysis, the Cell Counting Kit­8 assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. In addition, the expression levels of extracellular signal­regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, p38 mitogen­activated protein kinase (MAPK), glucose­regulated protein 78 (GRP78), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and cleaved caspase­12 were assessed by western blotting. MPP+ treatment decreased the viability of SH­SY5Y cells and increased their apoptosis; however, these changes were attenuated by pretreatment with apelin­13. Treatment with MPP+ for 24 h significantly increased the expression levels of phospho­ERK1/2, phospho­p38, GRP78, CHOP, and cleaved caspase­12 in SH­SY5Y cells. Pretreatment with apelin­13 significantly attenuated the upregulation of GRP78, CHOP and cleaved caspase­12 in MPP+­treated SH­SY5Y cells, and significantly enhanced the expression levels of phospho­ERK1/2. Taken together, the present results support a model in which apelin­13 inhibits MPP+­induced apoptosis of SH­SY5Y cells by decreasing the expression of GRP78, CHOP, and cleaved caspase­12, and by increasing the expression of phospho­ERK1/2. The present findings suggest that apelin­13 may be useful for the treatment of PD.

Efficacy of recombinant adenovirus expressing a fusion gene from GM-CSF and Epstein-Barr virus LMP2A in a mouse tumor model.

In this study, purified GM-CSF and LMP2A mRNAs were amplified by PCR. Then, the GM-CSF and LMP2A sequences were connected by the polypeptide linker (Gly4Ser)3 using gene splicing by overlap extension. The constructed fusion gene GC2A was inserted into the adenovirus vector. Then the recombinant vector was introduced into HEK 293T cells by calcium phosphate transfection to package the adenovirus. The levels of antibodies against the GM-CSF and LMP2Afusion proteins were measured by ELISA, and the CTL activity of the mouse splenic lymphocytes was determined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. Immunotherapy of mouse tumor (EBV-positive epithelial tumor cell line (GT39)) tissues was performed, and their morphologies were assessed. Finally, the data of each group were analyzed using SPSS 11.5 statistical software. The recombinant adenovirus could replicate in HEK 293Tcells and induce humoral and cellular immune responses in the mice. The maximum dose resulted in an antibody titer of 18500 (184.5 ± 8.7 pg/ml). At an effector: target ratio of 40:1, maximum specific lysis was observed which was approximately three times that detected in the control immunized mice. The tumor inhibition rate was approximately 76% compared with the control groups, indicating the presence of significant differences among the groups. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were detected by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The recombinant adenovirus induced humoral and cellular immune responses and inhibited tumor growth in mice. It provided a theoretical basis and candidate vaccine for further preclinical trials.

Neuroprotection of bradykinin/bradykinin B2 receptor system in cerebral ischemia.

Bradykinin B2 receptor (B2R) activated by its endogenous ligand bradykinin participates in various physiological processes including neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, and control of inflammation and blood pressure. Besides these effects, B2R has been demonstrated to protect neurons from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Here, we highlight the mechanisms of BK/B2R-mediated neuroprotective effects in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Moreover, this review article summarizes some of the signaling pathways of B2R in cerebral ischemia, leading to a better understanding of its neuroprotection.

Novel signaling of dynorphin at κ-opioid receptor/bradykinin B2 receptor heterodimers.

The κ-opioid receptor (KOR) and bradykinin B2 receptor (B2R) are involved in a variety of important physiological processes and share many similar characteristics in terms of their distribution and functions in the nervous system. We first demonstrated the endogenous expression of KOR and B2R in human SH-SY5Y cells and their co-localization on the membrane of human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells. Bioluminescence and fluorescence resonance energy transfer and the proximity ligation assay were exploited to demonstrate the formation of functional KOR and B2R heteromers in transfected cells. KOR/B2R heteromers triggered dynorphin A (1-13)-induced Gαs/protein kinase A signaling pathway activity, including upregulation of intracellular cAMP levels and cAMP-response element luciferase reporter activity, resulting in increased cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation, which could be dampened by the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H89. This indicated that the co-existence of KOR and B2R is critical for CREB phosphorylation. In addition, dynorphin A (1-13) induced a significantly higher rate of proliferation in HEK293-KOR/B2R and human SH-SY5Y cells than in the control group. These results indicate that KOR can form a heterodimer with B2R and this leads to increased protein kinase A activity by the CREB signaling pathway, leading to a significant increase in cell proliferation. The nature of this signaling pathway has significant implications for the role of dynorphin in the regulation of neuroprotective effects.

Heterodimerization of the kappa opioid receptor and neurotensin receptor 1 contributes to a novel ß-arrestin-2-biased pathway.

Together with its endogenous ligands (dynorphin), the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) plays an important role in modulating various physiological and pharmacological responses, with a classical G protein-coupled pathway mediating analgesia and non-G protein-dependent pathway, especially the ß-arrestin-dependent pathway, eliciting side effects of dysphoria, aversion, drug-seeking in addicts, or even relapse to addiction. Although mounting evidence has verified a functional overlap between dynorphin/KOR and neurotensin/neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1) systems, little is known about direct interaction between the two receptors. Here, we showed that KOR and NTSR1 form a heterodimer that functions as a novel pharmacological entity, and this heterodimer, in turn, brings about a switch in KOR-mediated signal transduction, from G protein-dependent to ß-arrestin-2-dependent. This was simultaneously verified by analyzing a KOR mutant (196th residue) that lost the ability to dimerize with NTSR1. We also found that dual occupancy of the heterodimer forced the ß-arrestin-2-dependent pathway back into Gi protein-dependent signaling, according to KOR activation. These data provide new insights into the interaction between KOR and NTSR1, and the newly discovered role of NTSR1 acting as a switch between G protein- and ß-arrestin-dependent pathways of KOR also suggests a new approach for utilizing pathologically elevated dynorphin/KOR system into full play for its analgesic effect with limited side effects.