Docking of competitive inhibitors to the P2X7 receptor family reveals key differences responsible for changes in response between rat and human

In-silico screening to identify phytochemical inhibitor for hP2X7: A crucial inflammatory cell death mediator in Parkinson's disease

The second most prevalent neurological disease among the elderly is Parkinson's disease, where neuroinflammation plays a significant role in its pathology. Purinergic signaling mediated by P2X7 plays a significant role in neuroinflammation and pyroptotic cell death pathways through mediators like NLRP3, Caspase-1, and Caspase-3, instigating pyroptotic cell death. No synthetic agent advanced in late-stage clinical trials due to their inefficacy and toxicity. Hence, in this study, we aimed to identify a phytoconstituent inhibitor against the hP2X7 receptor to ameliorate the inflammatory processes involved. To achieve this aim, we performed homology modeling of the receptor and screened phytoconstituents from a library of over 3500 commercially available phytoconstituents. Molecular docking through the Maestro program of the Schrödinger suite was performed considering evaluation parameters like docking score, docking pose and spatial arrangement, and MMGBSA binding free energy. Predictive pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiling was done using tools like QikProp, ADMETLab 2.0, SwissADME, and Protox-II. Molecular dynamic simulation was performed using Schrödinger's Desmond tool for the top 10 phytoconstituents. The complex stability was evaluated based on the ligand- and protein-RMSD, protein-ligand contact stability over a simulation period of 100 ns, protein RMSF, and ligand properties like RMSF, radius of gyration, intramolecular hydrogen bonding, and SASA. Based on the studies' results, silychristin, silybin, rosmarinic acid, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, and aurantiamide were shortlisted as the top 5 phytoconstituents against hP2X7. Further in-vitro and in-vivo studies would offer better clarity on the mechanism of action of these agents specifically related to pyroptotic cell death in various disease models.

Characterization of the Active Enantiomer and Mapping of the Stereospecific Intermolecular Pattern of a Reference P2X7 Allosteric Antagonist

The P2X purinergic receptor 7 (P2X7) has an essential role in inflammation, innate immunity, tumor progression, neurodegenerative diseases, and several other diseases, leading subsequently to the development of P2X7 modulators. AZ11645373 is a frequently studied P2X7 antagonist tool compound but always used as a racemic mixture. Racemic AZ11645373 can be separated into its respective enantiomers by chiral chromatography, albeit in small batches, and these were stereochemically intact over two years later, by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. On a higher scale, significant decomposition is observed during purification. One of the enantiomers was crystallized as a palladium complex, and its (R)-configuration was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, further confirmed, in solution, by vibrational circular dichroism. Biological studies demonstrated that both (S)- and (R)-forms were able to fully inhibit human P2X7, but (R)-AZ11645373 was more potent, with an IC50 of 32.9 nM. Contrary to its effect on human P2X7, (S)-AZ11645373 was ineffective on mouse P2X7, while the (R)-AZ11645373 enantiomer was a full antagonist. These results demonstrated that the antagonistic effects of racemic AZ11645373 are mainly due to its (R)-enantiomer. Site-directed mutagenesis and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the (R)-enantiomer may form specific interactions with Phe95 and the antagonists bound to other P2X7 monomers. Phe95 is situated in the allosteric binding site at the edge of the upper vestibule and appears to be the pivotal molecular gateway between AZ11645373 allosteric binding and locking of the closed state of the P2X7 channel. All together, these structure-function relationships should be helpful for drug design of P2X7 modulators.

An emerging master inducer and regulator for epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor metastasis: extracellular and intracellular ATP and its molecular functions and therapeutic potential

Despite the rapid development of therapeutic strategies in cancer treatment, metastasis remains the major cause of cancer-related death and scientific challenge. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in cancer invasion and progression, a process by which tumor cells lose cell-cell adhesion and acquire increased invasiveness and metastatic activity. Recent work has uncovered some crucial roles of extracellular adenosine 5'- triphosphate (eATP), a major component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), in promoting tumor growth and metastasis. Intratumoral extracellular ATP (eATP), at levels of 100-700 µM, is 10³-10⁴ times higher than in normal tissues. In the current literature, eATP's function in promoting metastasis has been relatively poorly understood as compared with intracellular ATP (iATP). Recent evidence has shown that cancer cells internalize eATP via macropinocytosis in vitro and in vivo, promoting cell growth and survival, drug resistance, and metastasis. Furthermore, ATP acts as a messenger molecule that activates P2 purinergic receptors expressed on both tumor and host cells, stimulating downstream signaling pathways to enhance the invasive and metastatic properties of tumor cells. Here, we review recent progress in understanding eATP's role in each step of the metastatic cascade, including initiating invasion, inducing EMT, overcoming anoikis, facilitating intravasation, circulation, and extravasation, and eventually establishing metastatic colonization. Collectively, these studies reveal eATP's important functions in many steps of metastasis and identify new opportunities for developing more effective therapeutic strategies to target ATP-associated processes in cancer.

Spotlight on P2X7 Receptor PET Imaging: A Bright Target or a Failing Star?

The homotrimeric P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is expressed by virtually all cells of the innate and adaptive immune system and plays a crucial role in various pathophysiological processes such as autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation, neuropathic pain and cancer. Consequently, the P2X7R is considered a promising target for therapy and diagnosis. As the development of tracers comes hand-in-hand with the development of potent and selective receptor ligands, there is a rising number of PET tracers available in preclinical and clinical studies. This review analyzes the development of P2X7R positron emission tomography (PET) tracers and their potential in various PET imaging applications.

Emerging roles of the P2X7 receptor in cancer pain

Cancer pain is the most prevalent symptom experienced by cancer patients. It substantially impacts a patient’s long-term physical and emotional health, making it a pressing issue that must be addressed. Purinergic receptor P2X7 (P2X7R) is a widely distributed and potent non-selective ATP-gated ion channel that regulates tumor proliferation, chronic pain, and the formation of inflammatory lesions in the central nervous system. P2X7R plays an essential role in cancer pain and complications related to cancer pain including depression and opioid tolerance. This review focuses on the structure and distribution of P2X7R, its role in diverse tissues in cancer pain, and the application of P2X7R antagonists in the treatment of cancer pain to propose new ideas for cancer pain management.

Recent Advances in Small Molecule Stimulation of Regeneration and Repair

Therapeutic approaches to stimulate regeneration and repair have the potential to transform healthcare and improve outcomes for patients suffering from numerous chronic degenerative diseases. To date most approaches have involved the transplantation of therapeutic cells, and while there have been a small number of clinical approvals, major hurdles exist to the routine adoption of such therapies. In recent years humans and other mammals have been shown to possess a regenerative capacity across multiple tissues and organs, and an innate regenerative and repair response has been shown to be activated in these organs in response to injury. These realisations have inspired a transformative approach in regenerative medicine: the development of new agents to directly target these innate regeneration and repair pathways. In this article we will review the current state of the art in the discovery of small molecule modulators of regeneration and their translation towards therapeutic agents, focussing specifically on the areas of neuroregeneration and cardiac regeneration.

Tyrosine 288 in the extracellular domain of the human P2X7 receptor is critical for receptor function revealed by structural modeling and site-directed mutagenesis

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is a calcium-permeable cation channel activated by high concentrations of extracellular ATP. It plays a role in vital physiological processes, particularly in innate immunity, and is dysregulated in pathological conditions such as inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, mood disorders, and cancers. Structural modeling of the human P2X7R (hP2X7R) based on the recently available structures of the rat P2X7 receptor (rP2XR) in conjunction with molecular docking predicts the orientation of tyrosine at position 288 (Y288) in the extracellular domain to face ATP. In this short communication, we combined site-directed mutagenesis and whole-cell patch-clamp recording to investigate the role of this residue in the hP2X7R function. Mutation of this extracellular residue to amino acids with different properties massively impaired current responses to both ATP and BzATP, suggesting that Y288 is important for normal receptor function. Such a finding facilitates development of an in-depth understanding of the molecular basis of hP2X7R structure-function relationships.

P2X7 receptor in multifaceted cellular signalling and its relevance as a potential therapeutic target in different diseases

P2X7 receptor, a purinergic receptor family member, is abundantly expressed on many cells, including immune, muscle, bone, neuron, and glia. It acts as an ATP-activated cation channel that permits the influx of Ca²⁺, Na⁺ and efflux of K⁺ ions. The P2X7 receptor plays crucial roles in many physiological processes including cytokine and chemokine secretion, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, cellular growth and differentiation, locomotion, wound healing, transcription factors activation, cell death and T-lymphocyte survival. Past studies have demonstrated the up-regulation and direct association of this receptor in many pathophysiological conditions such as cancer, diabetics, arthritis, tuberculosis (TB) and inflammatory diseases. Hence, targeting this receptor is considered a worthwhile approach to lessen the afflictions associated with the disorders mentioned above by understanding the receptor architecture and downstream signalling processes. Here, in the present review, we have dissected the structural and functional aspects of the P2X7 receptor, emphasizing its role in various diseased conditions. This information will provide in-depth knowledge about the receptor and help to develop apt curative methodologies for the betterment of humanity in the coming years.

Structural basis for the functional properties of the P2X7 receptor for extracellular ATP

The P2X7 receptor, originally known as the P2Z receptor due to its distinctive functional properties, has a structure characteristic of the ATP-gated ion channel P2X receptor family. The P2X7 receptor is an important mediator of ATP-induced purinergic signalling and is involved the pathogenesis of numerous conditions as well as in the regulation of diverse physiological functions. Functional characterisations, in conjunction with site-directed mutagenesis, molecular modelling, and, recently, structural determination, have provided significant insights into the structure–function relationships of the P2X7 receptor. This review discusses the current understanding of the structural basis for the functional properties of the P2X7 receptor.

Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of Novel Non-nucleotide Purine Derivatives as P2X7 Antagonists for the Treatment of Neuroinflammation

The ATP-gated P2X7 purinergic receptor (P2X7) is involved in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Several P2X7 antagonists have been developed, though none of them reached clinical trials for this indication. In this work, we designed and synthesized novel blood-brain barrier (BBB)-permeable derivatives as potential P2X7 antagonists. They comprise purine or xanthine cores linked to an aryl group through different short spacers. Compounds were tested in YO-PRO-1 uptake assays and intracellular calcium dynamics in a human P2X7-expressing HEK293 cell line, two-electrode voltage-clamp recordings in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and in interleukin 1β release assays in mouse peritoneal macrophages. BBB permeability was assessed by parallel artificial membrane permeability assays and P-glycoprotein ATPase activity. Dichloroarylpurinylethanones featured a certain P2X7 blockade, being compound 6 (2-(6-chloro-9H-purin-9-yl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)ethan-1-one), named ITH15004, the most potent, selective, and BBB-permeable antagonist. Compound 6 can be considered as a first non-nucleotide purine hit for future drug optimizations.

Contribution of Val/Ile87 residue in the extracellular domain in agonist-induced current responses of the human and rat P2X7 receptors

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is an ATP-gated cation channel with a critical role in many physiological and pathological processes, and shows prominent functional differences across mammalian species, exemplified by larger current responses of the rat (r) P2X7R to ATP and its analogue BzATP and a greater sensitivity to agonists compared with the human (h) P2X7R. Here, we showed that substitution of Val87 residue in the extracellular domain of the hP2X7R with isoleucine in the rP2X7R increased the current responses of the hP2X7R to both ATP and BzATP. Conversely, introduction of reciprocal I87V mutation in the rP2X7R led to a noticeable but statistically insignificant reduction in the current responses of the rP2X7R to ATP and BzATP. The mutations did not affect the sensitivity of the human and rat P2X7Rs to ATP and BzATP. These results suggest a contribution of Val/Ile87 in agonist-induced current responses of human and rat P2X7Rs, which helps to better understand the molecular determinants for species-dependent function of the mammalian P2X7Rs.

The purinergic P2X7 receptor as a potential drug target to combat neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) represent a huge social burden, particularly in Alzheimer's disease (AD) in which all proposed treatments investigated in murine models have failed during clinical trials (CTs). Thus, novel therapeutic strategies remain crucial. Neuroinflammation is a common pathogenic feature of NDDs. As purinergic P2X7 receptors (P2X7Rs) are gatekeepers of inflammation, they could be developed as drug targets for NDDs. Herein, we review this challenging hypothesis and comment on the numerous studies that have investigated P2X7Rs, emphasizing their molecular structure and functions, as well as their role in inflammation. Then, we elaborate on research undertaken in the field of medicinal chemistry to determine potential P2X7R antagonists. Subsequently, we review the state of neuroinflammation and P2X7R expression in the brain, in animal models and patients suffering from AD, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, and retinal degeneration. Next, we summarize the in vivo studies testing the hypothesis that by mitigating neuroinflammation, P2X7R blockers afford neuroprotection, increasing neuroplasticity and neuronal repair in animal models of NDDs. Finally, we reviewed previous and ongoing CTs investigating compounds directed toward targets associated with NDDs; we propose that CTs with P2X7R antagonists should be initiated. Despite the high expectations for putative P2X7Rs antagonists in various central nervous system diseases, the field is moving forward at a relatively slow pace, presumably due to the complexity of P2X7Rs. A better pharmacological approach to combat NDDs would be a dual strategy, combining P2X7R antagonism with drugs targeting a selective pathway in a given NDD.

P2X7 in Cancer: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutics

P2X7 is a transmembrane receptor expressed in multiple cell types including neurons, dendritic cells, macrophages, monocytes, B and T cells where it can drive a wide range of physiological responses from pain transduction to immune response. Upon activation by its main ligand, extracellular ATP, P2X7 can form a nonselective channel for cations to enter the cell. Prolonged activation of P2X7, via high levels of extracellular ATP over an extended time period can lead to the formation of a macropore, leading to depolarization of the plasma membrane and ultimately to cell death. Thus, dependent on its activation state, P2X7 can either drive cell survival and proliferation, or induce cell death. In cancer, P2X7 has been shown to have a broad range of functions, including playing key roles in the development and spread of tumor cells. It is therefore unsurprising that P2X7 has been reported to be upregulated in several malignancies. Critically, ATP is present at high extracellular concentrations in the tumor microenvironment (TME) compared to levels observed in normal tissues. These high levels of ATP should present a survival challenge for cancer cells, potentially leading to constitutive receptor activation, prolonged macropore formation and ultimately to cell death. Therefore, to deliver the proven advantages for P2X7 in driving tumor survival and metastatic potential, the P2X7 macropore must be tightly controlled while retaining other functions. Studies have shown that commonly expressed P2X7 splice variants, distinct SNPs and post-translational receptor modifications can impair the capacity of P2X7 to open the macropore. These receptor modifications and potentially others may ultimately protect cancer cells from the negative consequences associated with constitutive activation of P2X7. Significantly, the effects of both P2X7 agonists and antagonists in preclinical tumor models of cancer demonstrate the potential for agents modifying P2X7 function, to provide innovative cancer therapies. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding of the structure and functions of P2X7 and how these impact P2X7 roles in cancer progression. We also review potential therapeutic approaches directed against P2X7.

Mapping the Site of Action of Human P2X7 Receptor Antagonists AZ11645373, Brilliant Blue G, KN-62, Calmidazolium, and ZINC58368839 to the Intersubunit Allosteric Pocket

The P2X7 receptor is a trimeric ligand-gated ion channel activated by ATP. It is implicated in the cellular response to trauma/disease and considered to have significant therapeutic potential. Using chimeras and point mutants we have mapped the binding site of the P2X7R-selective antagonist AZ11645373 to the known allosteric binding pocket at the interface between two subunits, in proximity to, but separated from the ATP binding site. Our structural model of AZ11645373 binding is consistent with effects of mutations on antagonist sensitivity, and the proposed binding mode explains variation in antagonist sensitivity between the human and rat P2X7 receptors. We have also determined the site of action for the P2X7R-selective antagonists ZINC58368839, brilliant blue G, KN-62, and calmidazolium. The effect of intersubunit allosteric pocket "signature mutants" F88A, T90V, D92A, F103A, and V312A on antagonist sensitivity suggests that ZINC58368839 comprises a binding mode similar to AZ11645373 and other previously characterized antagonists. For the larger antagonists, brilliant blue G, KN-62, and calmidazolium, our data imply an overlapping but distinct binding mode involving the central upper vestibule of the receptor in addition to the intersubunit allosteric pocket. Our work explains the site of action for a series of P2X7R antagonists and establishes "signature mutants" for P2X7R binding-mode characterization.

P2X7 ionotropic receptor is functionally expressed in rabbit articular chondrocytes and mediates extracellular ATP cytotoxicity

Extracellular ATP regulates various cellular functions by engaging multiple subtypes of P2 purinergic receptors. In many cell types, the ionotropic P2X7 receptor mediates pathological events such as inflammation and cell death. However, the importance of this receptor in chondrocytes remains largely unexplored. Here, we report the functional identification of P2X7 receptor in articular chondrocytes and investigate the involvement of P2X7 receptors in ATP-induced cytotoxicity. Chondrocytes were isolated from rabbit articular cartilage, and P2X7 receptor currents were examined using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. ATP-induced cytotoxicity was evaluated by measuring caspase-3/7 activity, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, and prostagrandin E₂ (PGE₂) release using microscopic and fluorimetric/colorimetric evaluation. Extracellular ATP readily evoked a cationic current without obvious desensitization. This ATP-activated current was dose related, but required millimolar concentrations. A more potent P2X7 receptor agonist, BzATP, also activated this current but at 100-fold lower concentrations. ATP-induced currents were largely abolished by selective P2X7 antagonists, suggesting a predominant role for the P2X7 receptor. RT-PCR confirmed the presence of P2X7 in chondrocytes. Heterologous expression of a rabbit P2X7 clone successfully reproduced the ATP-induced current. Exposure of chondrocytes to ATP increased caspase-3/7 activities, an effect that was totally abrogated by P2X7 receptor antagonists. Extracellular ATP also enhanced LDH release, which was partially attenuated by the P2X7 inhibitor. The P2X7 receptor-mediated elevation in apoptotic caspase signaling was accompanied by increased PGE₂ release and was attenuated by inhibition of either phospholipase A₂ or cyclooxygenase-2. This study provides direct evidence for the presence of functional P2X7 receptors in articular chondrocytes. Our results suggest that the P2X7 receptor is a potential therapeutic target in chondrocyte death associated with cartilage injury and disorders including osteoarthritis.

ATP-activated P2X7 receptor in the pathophysiology of mood disorders and as an emerging target for the development of novel antidepressant therapeutics

Mood disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that represent leading global disease burdens. Increasing evidence from clinical and preclinical studies supports that innate immune system dysfunction plays an important part in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. P2X7 receptor, belonging to the ligand-gated ion channel P2X subfamily of purinergic P2 receptors for extracellular ATP, is highly expressed in immune cells including microglia in the central nervous system (CNS) and has a vital role in mediating innate immune response. The P2X7 receptor is also important in neuron-glia signalling in the CNS. The gene encoding human P2X7 receptor is located in a locus of susceptibility to mood disorders. In this review, we will discuss the recent progress in understanding the role of the P2X7 receptor in the pathogenesis and development of mood disorders and in discovering CNS-penetrable P2X7 antagonists for potential uses in in vivo imaging to monitor brain inflammation and antidepressant therapeutics.

The Molecular Determinants of Small-Molecule Ligand Binding at P2X Receptors

P2X receptors are trimeric eukaryotic ATP-gated cation channels. Extracellular ATP—their physiological ligand—is released as a neurotransmitter and in conditions of cell damage such as inflammation, and substantial evidence implicates P2X receptors in diseases including neuropathic pain, cancer, and arthritis. In 2009, the first P2X crystal structure, Danio rerio P2X4 in the apo- state, was published, and this was followed in 2012 by the ATP-bound structure. These structures transformed our understanding of the conformational changes induced by ATP binding and the mechanism of ligand specificity, and enabled homology modeling of mammalian P2X receptors for ligand docking and rational design of receptor modulators. P2X receptors are attractive drug targets, and a wide array of potent, subtype-selective modulators (mostly antagonists) have been developed. In 2016, crystal structures of human P2X3 in complex with the competitive antagonists TNP-ATP and A-317491, and Ailuropoda melanoleuca P2X7 in complex with a series of allosteric antagonists were published, giving fascinating insights into the mechanism of channel antagonism. In this article we not only summarize current understanding of small-molecule modulator binding at P2X receptors, but also use this information in combination with previously published structure-function data and molecular docking experiments, to hypothesize a role for the dorsal fin loop region in differential ATP potency, and describe novel, testable binding conformations for both the semi-selective synthetic P2X7 agonist 2′-(3′)-O-(4-benzoyl)benzoyl ATP (BzATP), and the P2X4-selective positive allosteric modulator ivermectin. We find that the distal benzoyl group of BzATP lies in close proximity to Lys-127, a residue previously implicated in BzATP binding to P2X7, potentially explaining the increased potency of BzATP at rat P2X7 receptors. We also present molecular docking of ivermectin to rat P2X4 receptors, illustrating a plausible binding conformation between the first and second transmembrane domains which not only tallies with previous mutagenesis studies, but would also likely have the effect of stabilizing the open channel structure, consistent with the mode of action of this positive allosteric modulator. From our docking simulations and analysis of sequence homology we propose a series of mutations likely to confer ivermectin sensitivity to human P2X1.

The P2X7 receptor: A main player in inflammation

Damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are intracellular molecules released from infected or injured cells to activate inflammatory and reparatory responses. One of the most ancient and conserved DAMPs is extracellular ATP that exerts its phlogistic activity mainly through activation of the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R). The P2X7R is an ATP gated ion channel, expressed by most immune cells, including the monocyte-derived cell lineages, T and B lymphocytes and their precursors. Here we give an overview of recent and established literature on the role of P2X7R in septic and sterile inflammation. P2X7R ability in restraining intracellular bacteria and parasite infection by modulation of the immune response are described, with particular focus on Mycobacteria and Plasmodium. Emerging literature on the role of P2X7 in viral infections such as HIV-1 is also briefly covered. Finally, we describe the numerous intracellular pathways related to inflammation and activated by the P2X7R, including the NLRP3 inflammasome, NF-kB, NFAT, GSK3β and VEGF, and discuss the involvement of P2X7R in chronic diseases. The possible therapeutic applications of P2X7R antagonists are also described.

P2X7 receptor antagonism: Implications in diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most frequent complication of diabetes and one of leading causes of blindness worldwide. Early phases of DR are characterized by retinal pericyte loss mainly related to concurrent inflammatory process. Recently, an important link between P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) and inflammation has been demonstrated indicating this receptor as potential pharmacological target in DR. Here we first carried out an in silico molecular modeling study in order to characterize the allosteric pocket in P2X7R, and identify a suitable P2X7R antagonist through molecular docking. JNJ47965567 was identified as the hit compound in docking calculations, as well as for its absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) profile. As an in vitro model of early diabetic retinopathy, human retinal pericytes were exposed to high glucose (25mM, 48h) that caused a significant (p<0.05) release of IL-1β and LDH. The block of P2X7R by JNJ47965567 significantly (p<0.05) reverted the damage elicited by high glucose, detected as IL-1β and LDH release. Overall, our findings suggest that the P2X7R represents an attractive pharmacological target to manage the early phase of diabetic retinopathy, and the compound JNJ47965567 is a good template to discover other P2X7R selective antagonists.

Escape from adamantane: Scaffold optimization of novel P2X7 antagonists featuring complex polycycles

The adamantane scaffold, despite being widely used in medicinal chemistry, is not devoid of problems. In recent years we have developed new polycyclic scaffolds as surrogates of the adamantane group with encouraging results in multiple targets. As an adamantane scaffold is a common structural feature in several P2X7 receptor antagonists, herein we report the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of multiple replacement options of adamantane that maintain a good activity profile. Molecular modeling studies support the binding of the compounds to a site close to the central pore, rather than to the ATP-binding site and shed light on the structural requirements for novel P2X7 antagonists.

Conformational changes during human P2X7 receptor activation examined by structural modelling and cysteine-based cross-linking studies

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is important in mediating a range of physiological functions and pathologies associated with tissue damage and inflammation and represents an attractive therapeutic target. However, in terms of their structure-function relationships, the mammalian P2X7Rs remain poorly characterised compared to some of their other P2XR counterparts. In this study, combining cysteine-based cross-linking and whole-cell patch-clamp recording, we examined six pairs of residues (A44/I331, D48/I331, I58/F311, S60/L320, I75/P177 and K81/V304) located in different parts of the extracellular and transmembrane domains of the human P2X7R. These residues are predicted to undergo substantial movement during the transition of the receptor ion channel from the closed to the open state, predictions which are made based on structural homology models generated from the crystal structures of the zebrafish P2X4R. Our results provide evidence that among the six pairs of cysteine mutants, D48C/I133C and K81C/V304C formed disulphide bonds that impaired the channel gating to support the notion that such conformational changes, particularly those in the outer ends of the transmembrane domains, are critical for human P2X7R activation.

Structure-based identification and characterisation of structurally novel human P2X7 receptor antagonists

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) plays an important role in diverse conditions associated with tissue damage and inflammation, meaning that the human P2X7R (hP2X7R) is an attractive therapeutic target. The crystal structures of the zebrafish P2X4R in the closed and ATP-bound open states provide an unprecedented opportunity for structure-guided identification of new ligands. The present study performed virtual screening of ∼100,000 structurally diverse compounds against the ATP-binding pocket in the hP2X7R. This identified three compounds (C23, C40 and C60) out of 73 top-ranked compounds by testing against hP2X7R-mediated Ca(2+) responses. These compounds were further characterised using Ca(2+) imaging, patch-clamp current recording, YO-PRO-1 uptake and propidium iodide cell death assays. All three compounds inhibited BzATP-induced Ca(2+) responses concentration-dependently with IC50s of 5.1±0.3μM, 4.8±0.8μM and 3.2±0.2μM, respectively. C23 and C40 inhibited BzATP-induced currents in a reversible and concentration-dependent manner, with IC50s of 0.35±0.3μM and 1.2±0.1μM, respectively, but surprisingly C60 did not affect BzATP-induced currents up to 100μM. They suppressed BzATP-induced YO-PRO-1 uptake with IC50s of 1.8±0.9μM, 1.0±0.1μM and 0.8±0.2μM, respectively. Furthermore, these three compounds strongly protected against ATP-induced cell death. Among them, C40 and C60 exhibited strong specificity towards the hP2X7R over the hP2X4R and rP2X3R. In conclusion, our study reports the identification of three novel hP2X7R antagonists with micromolar potency for the first time using a structure-based approach, including the first P2X7R antagonist with preferential inhibition of large pore formation.

LncRNA NONRATT021972 involved the pathophysiologic processes mediated by P2X7 receptors in stellate ganglia after myocardial ischemic injury

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) acts on P2X receptors to initiate signal transmission. P2X7 receptors play a role in the pathophysiological process of myocardial ischemic injury. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in numerous biological functions independent of protein translation. LncRNAs are implicated in nervous system diseases. This study investigated the effects of NONRATT021972 small interference RNA (siRNA) on the pathophysiologic processes mediated by P2X7 receptors in stellate ganglia (SG) after myocardial ischemic injury. Our results demonstrated that the expression of NONRATT021972 in SG was significantly higher in the myocardial ischemic (MI) group than in the control group. Treatment of MI rats with NONRATT021972 siRNA, the P2X7 antagonist brilliant blue G (BBG), or P2X7 siRNA improved the histology of injured ischemic cardiac tissues and decreased the elevated concentrations of serum myocardial enzymes, creatine kinase (CK), CK isoform MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) compared to the MI rats. NONRATT021972 siRNA, BBG, or P2X7 siRNA treatment in MI rats decreased the expression levels of P2X7 immunoreactivity, P2X7 messenger RNA (mRNA), and P2X7 protein, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) in the SG compared to MI rats. NONRATT021972 siRNA treatment prevented the pathophysiologic processes mediated by P2X7 receptors in the SG after myocardial ischemic injury.