G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) compose the largest family of cell surface receptors and are the most common target of therapeutic drugs. The nonvisual arrestins, β-arrestin-1 and β-arrestin-2, are multifunctional scaffolding proteins that play critical roles in GPCR signaling. On binding of activated GPCRs at the plasma membrane, β-arrestins terminate G protein-dependent responses (desensi...

We have explored the possibility of using antibodies against purified rat liver glucocorticoid receptors to study the immunochemical properties of glucocorticoid receptors from murine and human malignant lymphocytes. For this purpose, purified immune ¡mmunoglobulin G was covalently linked to Sepharose CL-4B. We then examined the ability of the affinity gel to recognize cytosolic [3H]triamcinol...

Impaired wound healing in patients receiving glucocorticoid therapy is a serious clinical concern: mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists can counter glucocorticoid-induced off-target activation of MR receptors. The aim this study was to investigate the cutaneous delivery potent antagonist, spironolactone (SPL), from polymeric micelle nanocarriers, prepared using biodegradable copolymer, m...

Glucocorticoid use in sepsis is controversial. In contrast to other extracellular signaling molecules, glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) are intra-cytoplasmic. Several GR isoforms have been identified. A study in Critical Care Forum suggests that sepsis alters the abundance of the dominant negative GRβ. Here we discuss GR isoforms and how they may affect cellular responses to glucocorticoids in se...