The P2X7 receptor regulates cell growth through mediation of apoptosis. Low level expression of P2X7 has been linked to cancer development because tumor cells harboring a defective P2X7 mechanism can escape P2X7 pro-apoptotic control. microRNAs (miRNAs) function as negative regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression, playing major roles in cellular differentiation, proliferation, and me...

The nucleotide receptor P2X7 has been shown to modulate LPS-induced macrophage production of numerous inflammatory mediators. Although the C-terminal portion of P2X7 is thought to be essential for multiple receptor functions, little is known regarding the structural motifs that lie within this region. We show here that the P2X7 C-terminal domain contains several apparent protein-protein and pro...

Previous studies have confirmed that oxidized adenosine triphosphate, a P2X7 receptor antagonist, attenuates lipopolysaccharide-mediated microglial activation and inflammatory expression following neuronal damage in rat brain. NaCl and temperature may affect the potency of oxidized adenosine triphosphate. Brilliant blue G is a derivative of a widely used food additive and has little toxicity. T...

Activation of the P2X7 receptor by the extracellular damage-associated molecular pattern, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), induces the shedding of cell surface molecules including the low-affinity IgE receptor, CD23, from human leukocytes. A disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) 10 mediates P2X7-induced shedding of CD23 from multiple myeloma RPMI 8226 B cells; however, whether this process occ...

The irritative effects of preservatives found in ophthalmologic solution, or of antiseptics used for skin disinfection is a consistent problem for the patients. The reduction of the toxic effects of these compounds is desired. Brilliant Blue G (BBG) has shown to meet the expected effect in presence of benzalkonium chloride (BAK), a well known preservative in ophthalmic solutions, and octenidine...

Peritubular fibroblasts in the kidney are the major erythropoietin-producing cells and also contribute to renal repair following acute kidney injury (AKI). Although few fibroblasts were observed in the interstitium adjacent to damaged tubular epithelium in the early phase of AKI, the underlying mechanism by which their numbers were reduced remains unknown. In this study, we tested the hypothesi...

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is a nonselective cation channel that is activated by extracellular ATP and triggers the secretion of several proinflammatory substances, such as IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, and nitric oxide. Recently, several preclinical studies have demonstrated that this receptor participates in inflammation and pain mechanisms. Taken together, these results indicate that P2X7R is a promis...

The P2X7 receptor is a ligand-gated cation channel that is normally expressed by a variety of immune cells, including macrophages and lymphocytes. Because it leads to membrane blebbing, release of IL-1beta, and cell death by apoptosis or necrosis, it is a potential therapeutic target for a variety of inflammatory diseases. Although the P2X7 receptor is usually not detectable in normal renal tis...

Thrombosis is initiated by tissue factor (TF), a coagulation cofactor/receptor expressed in the vessel wall, on myeloid cells, and on microparticles (MPs) with variable procoagulant activity. However, the molecular pathways that generate prothrombotic TF in vivo are poorly defined. The oxidoreductase protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is thought to be involved in the activation of TF. Here, we f...

P2X7 is an intriguing membrane receptor for the extracellular nucleotide ATP, which functions as a ligand-gated ion channel; it can activate cell membrane permeabilization and also has a wide range of downstream signaling pathways, including mediation of inflammatory responses and modulation of cell turnover. Despite recent identification of P2X7 receptor protein in the renal tract, the biologi...