CLINICAL RELEVANCE OF PROTEINASE ACTIVATED RECEPTORS (PARS) IN THE GUT

Abstract

Proteinase activated receptors (PARs) are seven transmembrane domain receptors that are activated by specific proteolytic cleavage of their N terminal extracellular domain. This cleavage releases a new motif of amino acids on the N terminal tail which then binds the receptor like an agonist to induce an intracellular signal (see fig 1). The discovery of this family of receptors highlighted a new way of thinking about the role of proteinases, that cannot be seen merely as degradative enzymes, but that can directly and specifically send signals to cells.