The fate of P2Y-related orphan receptors: GPR80/99 and GPR91 are receptors of dicarboxylic acids

Several orphan G protein-coupled receptors are structurally close to the family of P2Y nucleotide receptors: GPR80/99 and GPR91 are close to P2Y(1/2/4/6/11) receptors, whereas GPR87, H963 and GPR34 are close to P2Y(12/13/14). Over the years, several laboratories have attempted without success to identify the ligands of those receptors. In early 2004, two papers have been published: One claiming that GPR80/99 is an AMP receptor, called P2Y(15), and the other one showing that GPR80/99 is a receptor for α-ketoglutarate, while GPR91 is a succinate receptor. The accompanying paper by Qi et al. entirely supports that GPR80/99 is an α-ketoglutarate receptor and not an AMP receptor. The closeness of dicarboxylic acid and P2Y nucleotide receptors might be linked to the negative charges of both types of ligands and the involvement of conserved Arg residues in their neutralization.