Eosinophil G-protein-coupled receptor signalling: An overview

There are approximately 140,000 genes in the human genome. This figure is s ignificantly higher than conventional estimates and indicates that the geno me is far more complex than originally appreciated. Clearly, this revised n umber of genes has implications for those that encode G-protein-coupled rec eptors (GPCR), which are believed to account for up to 5% of the total geno me in some species. In this short article, we briefly describe the BLT rece ptor as a model system for understanding GPCR signalling in eosinophils. Ho wever, it is possible that approximately 7,000 genes encode GPCRs, with add itional complexity arising from alternative mRNA splicing and different pro moter usage. Thus, despite significant advances in our understanding of GPC Rs in general and their expression on eosinophils in particular, we have on ly begun to understand what is probably the largest cell surface receptor f amily known. The potential for therapeutic intervention with small molecule inhibitors is, therefore, potentially enormous.