Hormonal signaling systems

Hormonal signaling systems represent the intricate networks through which chemical messengers, or hormones, communicate information between cells and tissues to maintain physiological homeostasis [1, 3]. These systems are broadly categorized into endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine signaling based on the distance the signaling molecule travels to reach its target [1]. At the molecular level, hormones primarily interact with two major classes of receptors: cell-surface receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and intracellular nuclear receptors that function as ligand-activated transcription factors [1, 4]. Once activated, these receptors initiate complex intracellular cascades involving second messengers like cyclic AMP (cAMP) or direct genomic regulation to orchestrate biological responses [4, 8]. Dysregulation of hormonal signaling is a fundamental driver of numerous diseases, including diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, and hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and prostate cancer [4, 5, 7]. Modern therapeutic interventions focus on restoring balance through the use of hormone replacements, receptor agonists or antagonists, and inhibitors of hormone biosynthesis or degradation [2, 6].

Other names

Endocrine signaling pathwaysHormone signaling networkNeuroendocrine signalingHormone-receptor systems

Drugs targeting hormonal signaling systems typically act as agonists or antagonists of specific receptors (e.g., GPCRs or nuclear receptors), inhibit hormone biosynthetic enzymes (e.g., aromatase inhibitors), or modulate downstream secondary messengers like cAMP and phosphoinositides [1, 4, 6].