First atomic-level image of the human 'marijuana receptor' unveiled
The new insights into the human cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) will provide an essential tool for understanding why some molecules related to THC have unexpectedly complex and sometimes harmful effects. The findings also have the potential to guide drug design for pain, inflammation, obesity, fibrosis and other indications. The new study, published by the journal Cell , was led by a quartet of scientists: TSRI's Laura Bohn, Northeastern University's Alexandros Makriyannis, Shanghai Tech University's Zhi-Jie Liu and Raymond C. Stevens (also of the University of Southern California). At the beginning of the study, the team struggled to produce a crystal form -- needed to obtain data to recreate the high-resolution structure -- of the receptor bound with AM6538, a stabilizing a molecule that blocks the receptor's action. "The CB1 receptor proved as challenging for crystallization as it did for understanding its functional regulation and signaling," said ...