Galanin and GALP Systems In Brain-Molecular Pharmacology, Anatomy, and Putative Roles In Physiology and Pathology

Abstract

This chapter discusses the molecular pharmacology, anatomy, and putative roles in physiology and pathology of galanin and galanin-like peptide (GALP) systems. Galanin is a widely distributed 29- to 30-amino-acid neuropeptide, while GALP is a structurally related 60-amino-acid neuropeptide first isolated and cloned in 1999, with a more restricted distribution in mammalian brain. Three G protein-coupled receptors-GalR1, GalR2, and GalRS-bind galanin with high affinity and are expressed in brain of mammalian species, including rat, mouse, and human. Activation of these receptors by galanin and analogs activates conventional signaling cascades associated with cAMP/protein kinase-A and inositol p..