GALANINERGIC SIGNALING AND ADENYLATE-CYCLASE

Galanin is a hyperpolarizing, inhibitory neurotransmitter; its recogni tion by seven transmembrane spanning G-protein-coupled receptors leads to a change in accumulation of cAMP (3'5'-cyclic AMP). Different subt ypes of galanin receptor and G-proteins could be manifested in the mod e of inhibitory action of galanin receptor on the production of cAMP b y adenylate cyclase. Galanin analogues, acting at the adenylate cyclas e level as subtype-specific galanin antagonists, can selectively block the inhibitory effect of endogenous galanin and thereby have potentia l as therapeutic agents for several endocrine, neuroendocrine and neur onal disorders. In this review, the latest results in the field of int erplay between galanin-initiated signal transduction and the cAMP path way are summarized.