CRFR

CRFR (Corticotropin-releasing Factor Receptor), also known as corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor (CRHR), belongs to the G protein-coupled receptor family. There are 3 types of this recetpor, CRF1, CRF2 and CRF3 receptor. CRF1 receptor (CRF1 or CRF1α) is functionally coupled to adenylate cyclase and it belongs to the secretin-like, family B of GPCRs. CRF1 receptor has several splice variants (CRF1c-CRF1m) including CRF1β. CRF2 receptor is a 411-amino acid protein with approximately 70% identity to the known CRF1 and it is functionally coupled to adenylate cyclase. The CRF2 receptor has been shown to be expressed as three functional splice variants, the CRF2α (411-413 amino acids), the CRF2β (431-438 amino acids) and the CRF2γ (397 amino acids). CRF3 receptor is a 428-amino acid protein, which binds CRF with a 5-fold higher affinity than URO and SVG and is expressed in the pituitary gland, urophysis, and brain.

CRFR subserves central functions related to stress physiology, and also exerts peripheral actions relevant to cardiovascular, muscular, gastrointestinal, pancreatic, inflammatory, and neoplastic diseases.