Purinergic Signalling最新文献

Purinergic signaling pathways play crucial roles in regulating hemostatic and inflammatory responses, both of which are impacted by scorpion envenomation. Scorpion venoms are complex mixtures of various toxins, such as peptides, enzymes, and nucleotides. Previous research showed that the action of scorpion toxins on the purinergic system stems from their effects on purinergic receptors. Additionally, a study identified a putative ectonucleotidase in scorpion venom. This study aimed to investigate the ability of Tityus confluens venom (10, 50, and 100 µg/mL) to metabolize adenine nucleotides and its potential effects on purinergic enzyme activity in rat platelets and lymphocytes. The effects of T. confluens venom on E-NTPDase (ATP and ADP hydrolysis), E-5'-NT (AMP hydrolysis), and E-ADA (ADO hydrolysis) activities were analyzed. The results revealed that crude venom from T. confluens exhibited ATP hydrolysis activity at all tested concentrations. In lymphocytes, ADP hydrolysis was inhibited by 100 µg/mL crude venom, whereas ADO hydrolysis was increased by all venom concentrations. In platelets, ATP hydrolysis was inhibited by 50 and 100 µg/mL crude venom, whereas AMP and ADO hydrolysis were inhibited by all concentrations. When considered collectively, the data suggested an elevation in extracellular ATP levels and a reduction in extracellular ADO. These findings are in alignment with clinical manifestations of scorpion envenomation characterized by a pro-inflammatory milieu. Furthermore, this study demonstrated the intrinsic ATPase activity of T. confluens venom and its ability to modulate E-NTPDase, E-5'-NT, and E-ADA activities in rat blood cells.

Adenosine, a sleep-associated neuromodulator, is crucial in various physiological and pathological processes. Previous studies have demonstrated that sleep deprivation (SD) alters striatal neuronal activity. In this study, we used in vitro electrophysiological recordings to investigate the effects of 20 h of SD on the neuronal excitability of mouse dorsal striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Our findings revealed that SD resulted in altered action potential (AP) discharge properties and reduced neuronal excitability compared to the control group. Importantly, these changes were partially offset by the prophylactic injection of the A2A receptor (A2AR) antagonist SCH58261. Additionally, 20 h of SD caused a decrease in the amplitude and an increase in the interval of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) compared to control. However, the prophylactic injection of the A2AR antagonism shortened the sEPSC interval, while the A1 receptor (A1R) antagonist DPCPX not only shortened the interval but also further reduced the amplitude of sEPSCs. Thus, it can be concluded that SCH58261 effectively prevents the reduction in excitability of striatal MSNs in mice following 20 h of sleep deprivation, whereas DPCPX does not.

Activation of PLCβ enzymes by G_iβγ and G_αq/11 proteins is a common mechanism to trigger cytosolic Ca²⁺ increase. We and others reported that G_αq/11 inhibitor FR900359 (FR) can inhibit both G_αq- and, surprisingly, G_iβγ-mediated intracellular Ca²⁺ mobilization. Thus, the G_αi-G_βγ-PLCβ-Ca²⁺ signaling axis depends entirely on the presence of active G_αq, which reasonably explained FR-inhibited G_iβγ-induced Ca²⁺ release. However, the conclusion that G_iβγ signaling is controlled by G_αq derives mostly from HEK293 cells. Here we show that indeed in HEK293 cells both G_αq/11 siRNA and G_αq/11 inhibitors diminished Ca²⁺ increase triggered by native G_q-coupled P2Y₁ receptors, or by transfected G_i-coupled A₁- or G_s-coupled A_2B adenosine receptors (ARs). However, in T24 bladder cancer cells, G_i inhibitor PTX, but not G_αq/11 inhibitors, FR, YM254890 (YM) or G_q/11 siRNA, inhibited Ca²⁺ increase triggered by native A_2BAR activation. Simultaneous inactivation of G_i and G_s further suppressed A_2BAR-triggered Ca²⁺ increase in T24 cells. The G_αq/11 inhibitor YM fully and partially inhibited endogenous P2Y₁- and β₂-adrenergic receptor-induced Ca²⁺ increase in T24 cells, respectively. PKC activator PMA partially diminished A_2BAR-triggered but completely diminished β₂-adrenergic receptor-triggered Ca²⁺ increase in T24 cells. Neither β-arrestin1 nor β-arrestin2 siRNA affected A_2BAR-mediated Ca²⁺ increase. Unlike in T24 cells, YM inhibited native A_2BAR-triggered calcium mobilization in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Thus, G_αq/11 is vital for Ca²⁺ increase in some cell types, but G_iβγ-mediated Ca²⁺ signaling can be Gα_q/11-dependent or independent based on cell type and receptor activated. Besides G proteins, PKC also modulates cytosolic Ca²⁺ increase depending on cell type and receptor.

Accumulating evidence supports the idea that cancer stem cells (CSCs) are those with the capacity to initiate tumors, generate phenotypical diversity, sustain growth, confer drug resistance, and orchestrate the spread of tumor cells. It is still controversial whether CSCs originate from normal stem cells residing in the tissue or cancer cells from the tumor bulk that have dedifferentiated to acquire stem-like characteristics. Although CSCs have been pointed out as key drivers in cancer, knowledge regarding their physiology is still blurry; thus, research focusing on CSCs is essential to designing novel and more effective therapeutics. The purinergic system has emerged as an important autocrine-paracrine messenger system with a prominent role at multiple levels of the tumor microenvironment, where it regulates cellular aspects of the tumors themselves and the stromal and immune systems. Recent findings have shown that purinergic signaling also participates in regulating the CSC phenotype. Here, we discuss updated information regarding CSCs in the purinergic system and present evidence supporting the idea that elements of the purinergic system expressed by this subpopulation of the tumor represent attractive pharmacological targets for proposing innovative anti-cancer therapies.

The two main glial cell types of the central nervous system (CNS), astrocytes and microglia, are responsible for neuroimmune homeostasis. Recent evidence indicates astrocytes can participate in removal of pathological structures by becoming phagocytic under conditions of neurodegenerative disease when microglia, the professional phagocytes, are impaired. We hypothesized that adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which acts as damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP), when released at high concentrations into extracellular space, upregulates phagocytic activity of human astrocytes. This study is the first to measure changes in phagocytic activity and mitochondrial respiration of human astrocytic cells in response to extracellular ATP. We demonstrate that ATP-induced phagocytic activity of U118 MG astrocytic cells is accompanied by upregulated mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, which likely supports this energy-dependent process. Application of a selective antagonist A438079 provides evidence identifying astrocytic purinergic P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) as the potential regulator of their phagocytic function. We also report a rapid ATP-induced increase in intracellular calcium ([Ca²⁺]_i), which could serve as regulator of both the phagocytic activity and mitochondrial metabolism, but this hypothesis will need to be tested in future studies. Since ATP upregulates interleukin (IL)-8 secretion by astrocytes but has no effect on their cytotoxicity towards neuronal cells, we conclude that extracellular ATP affects only specific functions of astrocytes. The selectivity of P2X7R-dependent regulation of astrocyte functions by extracellular ATP could allow targeting this receptor-ligand interaction to upregulate their phagocytic function. This could have beneficial outcomes in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, that are characterized by reactive astrocytes and defective phagocytic processes.

In a recent article published in Nature Communications (Shigetomi et al Nat Commun 15(1):6525, 2024), Shigetomi et al. identified that upregulated astrocytic purinergic P2Y₁ receptors (P2Y₁R), acting via the downstream molecule, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2), play a crucial role in neuronal hyperexcitability. In epilepsy and stroke models, P2Y₁R-IGFBP2 signaling was found to mediate astrocyte-driven neuronal hyperexcitability and so is a new contributor to astrocyte-neuron communication. Thus, IGFBP2 could be an alternative target for treating the effects of upregulated P2Y₁R activity in reactive astrocytes in neurological diseases.

Purinergic signaling is a crucial determinant in the regulation of pulmonary vascular physiology and presents a promising avenue for addressing lung diseases. This intricate signaling system encompasses two primary receptor classes: P1 and P2 receptors. P1 receptors selectively bind adenosine, while P2 receptors exhibit an affinity for ATP, ADP, UTP, and UDP. Functionally, P1 receptors are associated with vasodilation, while P2 receptors mediate vasoconstriction, particularly in basally relaxed vessels, through modulation of intracellular Ca²⁺ levels. The P2X subtype receptors facilitate extracellular Ca²⁺ influx, while the P2Y subtype receptors are linked to endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ release. Notably, the primary receptor responsible for ATP-induced vasoconstriction is P2X1, with α,β-meATP and UDP being identified as potent vasoconstrictor agonists. Interestingly, ATP has been shown to induce endothelium-dependent vasodilation in pre-constricted vessels, associated with nitric oxide (NO) release. In the context of P1 receptors, adenosine stimulation of pulmonary vessels has been unequivocally demonstrated to induce vasodilation, with a clear dependency on the A_2B receptor, as evidenced in studies involving guinea pigs and rats. Importantly, evidence strongly suggests that this vasodilation occurs independently of endothelium-mediated mechanisms. Furthermore, studies have revealed variations in the expression of purinergic receptors across different vessel sizes, with reports indicating notably higher expression of P2Y₁, P2Y₂, and P2Y₄ receptors in small pulmonary arteries. While the existing evidence in this area is still emerging, it underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive examination of the specific characteristics of purinergic signaling in the regulation of pulmonary vascular tone, particularly focusing on the disparities observed across different intrapulmonary vessel sizes. Consequently, this review aims to meticulously explore the current evidence regarding the role of purinergic signaling in pulmonary vascular tone regulation, with a specific emphasis on the variations observed in intrapulmonary vessel sizes. This endeavor is critical, as purinergic signaling holds substantial promise in the modulation of vascular tone and in the proactive prevention and treatment of pulmonary vascular diseases.