Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2013 Sep 11;219(1):R13-35.
doi: 10.1530/JOE-13-0227. Print 2013 Oct.

The apelin receptor APJ: journey from an orphan to a multifaceted regulator of homeostasis

Anne-Marie O'Carroll  1 , Stephen J Lolait, Louise E Harris, George R Pope
Affiliations
Review

The apelin receptor APJ: journey from an orphan to a multifaceted regulator of homeostasis

Anne-Marie O'Carroll et al. J Endocrinol. .

Abstract

The apelin receptor (APJ; gene symbol APLNR) is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor gene family. Neural gene expression patterns of APJ, and its cognate ligand apelin, in the brain implicate the apelinergic system in the regulation of a number of physiological processes. APJ and apelin are highly expressed in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system, which regulates fluid homeostasis, in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which controls the neuroendocrine response to stress, and in the forebrain and lower brainstem regions, which are involved in cardiovascular function. Recently, apelin, synthesised and secreted by adipocytes, has been described as a beneficial adipokine related to obesity, and there is growing awareness of a potential role for apelin and APJ in glucose and energy metabolism. In this review we provide a comprehensive overview of the structure, expression pattern and regulation of apelin and its receptor, as well as the main second messengers and signalling proteins activated by apelin. We also highlight the physiological and pathological roles that support this system as a novel therapeutic target for pharmacological intervention in treating conditions related to altered water balance, stress-induced disorders such as anxiety and depression, and cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.

Keywords: APJ; G protein-coupled receptor; apelin; homeostasis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources

-