FRET as a Tool to Study G-protein Coupled Receptor Oligomerization in HEK Cells.

The formation of GPCR oligomers reveal a further level of molecular cross-talk between signalling molecules and has potential effects on receptor function and downstream signalling under physiological and pathological conditions. Using biophysical methods based on resonance energy transfer, it is possible to investigate the nature and roles of receptor coupling in living cells. Elucidating the impact of GPCR dimerization in the activation processes will help to investigate previously unexpected pharmacological diversities and will lead to the development of novel pharmaceutical agents that promote or inhibit GPCR dimerization. This application reports on the use of fluo-rescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technology in HEK cells as a model to study GPCR oligomerization.