Question

-Vitamin A, D ,C ,B, K , Ca2+, Na+, Cl- , Glucose , Glycine , GABA, and Caffeine

Does each of these act on receptors?

And if they do what receptors do they act on?

Answer 1

Yes, all of them have a specific receptor with which they bind to provide a certain pharmacological effect. In case of elements like sodium, potassium, and calcium, the term becomes specific to ion channels instead of receptors. The following receptors are specific to the above-mentioned entities which are discussed below:

1] STRA6 protein receptor

• They are vitamin A receptor
• Transmembrane cell-surface receptor for retinol-binding protein
• Found in the choroid plexus, the brain microvascular, the spleen, kidney, eye, the placenta, and the female reproductive tract.

2] Cubam receptor

• It is a receptor involved in absorption of vitamin B12
• Composed of cubilin and amnionless
• Cubilin is essential as a cell receptor recognizing the "vitamin B12-intrinsic factor" complex, whereas amnionless is more involved in the receptor-mediated endocytosis of the complex.

3] GLUT-1 Receptors

• Both Vitamin C and glucose can enter cells using a critical protein known as the Glut-1 receptor.

4] NR1I1 (nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group I, member 1)  

• These are vitamin D receptors (VDR).
• Calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, binds to the VDR, which then forms a heterodimer with the retinoid-X receptor. This then binds to hormone response elements on DNA resulting in expression or transrepression of specific gene products.

5] Steroid and Xenobiotic Receptor SXR

• These are Vitamin K Receptors
• Mediates Vitamin K2-activated Transcription of Extracellular Matrix-related Genes and Collagen accumulation

6] GlyR (Glycine receptor)

• The receptor of the amino acid neurotransmitter glycine
• It is one of the most widely distributed inhibitory receptors in the brain.

7] GABA_A receptor, GABA_A-ρ receptor, GABA_B receptor

• Receptors for Gamma-aminobutyric acid.

8] Adenosine Receptors

• Receptors for caffeine
• Caffeine provides most of its biological effects by antagonizing all varieties of adenosine receptors: A1, A2A, A3, and A2B

9] Sodium Channels, Calcium Channels and Chloride channels for Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Cl^- ions respectively

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