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 CRF_1α) is functionally coupled to adenylate cyclase and it belongs to the secretin-like, family B of GPCRs. CRF₁ receptor has several splice variants (CRF_1c-CRF_1m) including CRF_1β. 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 CRF_2α (411-413 amino acids), the CRF_2β (431-438 amino acids) and the CRF_2γ (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.