HCAR1
Description
The HCAR1 (hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 1) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 12.
Hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 1 (HCA1), previously known as G protein-coupled receptor 81 (GPR81), is a protein encoded by the HCAR1 gene in humans. HCA1, alongside other hydroxycarboxylic acid receptors like HCA2 and HCA3, is a Gi/o-coupled G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Lactic acid (and its conjugate base, lactate) is the primary endogenous agonist of HCA1. Recently, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid has been identified as another activator of HCA1. Lactate was initially found to activate HCA1 on fat cells, inhibiting their lipolysis (breakdown of fats into free fatty acids and glycerol). Further research has revealed that HCA1 is expressed not only on fat cells, but also on cells within the brain, skeletal muscle, lymphoid tissue, uterus, kidney, liver, and pancreas, as well as on immune cells like macrophages and antigen-presenting cells. In the brain, HCA1 acts to reduce neuron excitation and may also promote neurogenesis (production of neurons from neural stem cells) and angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones). The functions of HCA1 in non-fat and non-neural tissues are not entirely understood, but often appear to involve promoting cell survival, including various types of cancer cells.
HCAR1 is also known as FKSG80, GPR104, GPR81, HCA1, LACR1, TA-GPCR, TAGPCR.
