Is purinergic signaling (P2XRs) a new focus in neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

Extracellular ATP-gated P2X receptors are non-selective cation channels that are important for many physiological processes, including immunity and neuronal transmission. P2X receptors with subtypes P2X (1-7) are current research areas for many diseases. These receptors mediate responses to ATP. Inhibiting P2X-mediated inflammatory responses has received great interest as a therapeutic target in inflammation. It is known that P2X (1-7) receptors play important roles in the physiology and pathophysiology of a wide range of diseases, including cancer, inflammatory diseases, neurological, respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and neuroinflammation-related diseases. Recent studies summarize current knowledge on P2X receptor activation, focusing on the mechanisms underlying ATP binding, conformational changes in the extracellular domain, and channel gating and desensitization.