Orexin Receptor-1 (N Terminal)

As first published in 1998 by Sakurai et al,, the initial neuropeptides Orexin A and Orexin B were shown to be important in the regulation of appetite. Continued research now suggests that these peptides also influence a wide range of physiological and behavioral processes such as increased EFG arousal and wakefulness and locomotor activity. In addition to the orexins , two G-protein coupled receptors, designated orexin receptor-1 and orexin receptor-2, have been identified which presumably mediate the signaling events from these neuropeptides1. Recently Orexin Receptors have been found to activate extracellular signal-regulated kinases in CHO cells, namely ERK phosporylation, through Ca2+ influx..2. Further studies seem to indicate a mechanism for orexin receptor mediated cell death and suggest a pathway from GPCRÕs to apoptosis throughthe MAPK pathways.3