Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist provokes homologous receptor microaggregation: An early event in seven-transmembrane receptor mediated signaling

Abstract

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) mediates interactions between the neural and the endocrine systems. The GnRH receptor is a member of the ubiquitous seven-transmembrane segment G-protein-coupled receptor class and is the target of drug development for treatment of breast and prostate cancer, regulation of fertility, endometriosis and a range of other medical and veterinary uses. This study shows that occupancy of the receptor by an agonist (but not an antagonist) promotes receptor-receptor interactions which appears to be an early event in hormone action.