Somatostatin receptor subtypes: basic pharmacology and tissue distribution.

The heptahelical receptor superfamily constitutes the largest single family of transmembrane-signalling molecules that regulate a wide range of physiological processes. The five somatostatin receptors represent a distinct subgroup of this seven transmembrane receptor superfamily. They range in size from 356 to 391 amino acids with 39-57% protein identity between the subtypes with 100 residues strictly conserved among the somatostatin receptor sequences. A high grade of mRNA homology exists in somatostatin receptor subtypes cloned from different species. Following somatostatin receptor binding and functional activity studies, two alternative models of ligand-binding interaction have been hypothesised. One relies on the presence of a binding pocket within the receptor structure constituted by specific amino acids residues, the other denies the presence of such binding structures and suggests that it is the interaction of agonists with specific extracellular and/or transmembrane domains that determine stable receptor structure conformation. Somatostatin receptors, as, indeed, all G-protein-coupled receptors are able to regulate their responsiveness to agonist exposure. This agonist-specific regulation includes three main events, namely, desensitisation, receptor internalisation and receptor degradation. The cell expression of somatostatin receptor subtypes, at the mRNA level, has been characterised in rodent and in human organs with multiple subtype expression in brain and peripheral tissues.