This gene encodes a receptor for bradykinin. The 9 aa bradykinin peptide elicits many responses including vasodilation, edema, smooth muscle spasm and pain fiber stimulation. Bradykinin is released upon activation by pathophysiologic conditions such as trauma and inflammation, and binds to its kinin receptors, B1 and B2. The B2 receptor associates with G proteins that stimulate a phosphatidylinositol-calcium second messenger system. [provided by RefSeq, Apr 2020]
Forensic Context
A study in humans demonstrated that major blunt trauma evokes a selective upregulation of oxidative enzyme transcripts in circulating leukocytes, where the BDKRB2 was among the top five up-regulated genes at various time points after injury [Brandfellner et al. DOI:10.1097/SHK.0b013e31829de02f]. In a mouse model of burn injury, RNA sequencing of the primary somatosensory cortex revealed that the BDKRB2 was downregulated in both burn injury and formalin-induced inflammatory pain models one hour post-injury [Erdei et al. DOI:10.3390/ijms26083538].