Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Ghent University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Belgium.
Curr Mol Med. 2013 Feb;13(2):282-95. doi: 10.2174/156652413804810763.
The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) belongs to the evolutionarily conserved family of plasma membrane G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Early studies identified an essential role for the CaSR in systemic calcium homeostasis through its ability to sense small changes in circulating calcium concentration and to couple this information to intracellular signaling pathways that influence parathyroid hormone secretion. However, the presence of CaSR protein in tissues is not directly involved in regulating mineral ion homeostasis points to a role for the CaSR in other cellular functions including the control of cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. This position at the crossroads of cellular fate designates the CaSR as an interesting study subject is likely to be involved in a variety of previously unconsidered human pathologies, including cancer, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Here, we will review the recent discoveries regarding the relevance of CaSR signaling in development and disease. Furthermore, we will discuss the rational for developing and using CaSR-based therapeutics.
钙敏感受体（CaSR）属于进化上保守的的等离子膜 G 蛋白偶联受体（GPCRs）家族。早期的研究表明，CaSR 通过感知循环钙浓度的微小变化，并将此信息与影响甲状旁腺激素分泌的细胞内信号通路相偶联，从而在全身钙稳态中发挥着重要作用。然而，CaSR 蛋白在组织中的存在并不直接参与调节矿物质离子稳态，这表明 CaSR 在其他细胞功能中发挥作用，包括控制细胞增殖、分化和凋亡。这种处于细胞命运交汇点的位置将 CaSR 作为一个有趣的研究课题，因为它可能与多种以前未被考虑的人类病理学相关，包括癌症、动脉粥样硬化和阿尔茨海默病。在这里，我们将回顾最近关于 CaSR 信号在发育和疾病中的相关性的发现。此外，我们还将讨论开发和使用基于 CaSR 的治疗方法的合理性。
