Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were previously considered to have an anti-inflammatory effect, and Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was found to be a pro-inflammatory factor in chondrocytes, but the mechanism underlying ADSCs and IL-1β is unclear. In this study, we investigate whether P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) signalling, regulated by microRNA 373 (miR-373), was involved in the ADSCs and IL-1β mediated i...

Inflammation is a key factor in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is increasingly recognized as key pro-inflammatory receptor. A recent study has shown that activation of microglia by amyloid β (Aβ) and associated release of IL-1β, requires P2X7R expression. In this study we assessed by RT-PCR in genomic DNA samples, the frequency of two single-nuc...

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) have been the backbones of HIV therapy since introduced in the late 1980s. These HIV drugs act by blocking the viral reverse transcriptase activity that is crucial in the HIV life cycle. In a recent study published by Science, Fowler et al. (2014) have shown that such antiretroviral agents can inhibit P2X7 receptor (P2X7R)-mediated Alu RNA-ind...

BACKGROUND The mechanism of the neural injury caused by chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) that characterizes obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is not clearly known. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is responsible for the CIH-induced neural injury and the possible pathway it involves. METHODS Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were used. For each ...

1-[N, O-Bis(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-N-methyl-L-tyrosyl]-4-phenylpiperazine (KN-62) and N-[1-[N-methyl-p-(5 isoquinolinesulfonyl)benzyl]-2-(4 phenylpiperazine)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide (KN-04) potently inhibit the human lymphocyte P2Z receptor, an ATP-gated cation channel [Br J Pharmacol 120:1483-1490 (1997)]. Although the molecular identity of the lymphocyte P2Z receptor has not been est...

Inflammatory cytokines commonly initiate extreme changes in the synovium and cartilage microenvironment of osteoarthritis (OA) patients, which subsequently cause cellular dysfunction, especially in chondrocytes. It has been reported that induction of the purinergic P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) can regulate the expression of a variety of inflammatory factors, including interleukin (IL)-6 and -8, leadin...

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1) plays a regulatory role in apoptosis, necrosis, and other cellular processes after injury. Recently, we revealed that PARP1 regulates the differential neuronal/astroglial responses to pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) in the distinct brain regions. In addition, P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), an ATP-gated ion channel, activation accelerates astroglial apop...

Major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) on antigen presenting cells (APCs) is a potent molecule to activate CD8(+) T cells and initiate immunity. P2X7 receptors (P2X7Rs) are present on the plasma membrane of APCs to sense the extracellular danger signal adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP). P2X7R activates the inflammasome and the release of IL-1β in macrophages and other immune cells to in...

Microglial activation is associated with the pathogenesis and progression of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinsons' disease, prion disease, multiple sclerosis, and ischemic and traumatic brain injury. The molecular mechanism of microglial activation is largely unknown. The expression of the purinergic, P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), is known to be enhanced in many brain pathologies wh...

P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), an ATP-gated ion channel, plays an important role in glaucomatous retinal ganglion cell (RGC) apoptotic death, in which activated retinal Müller glial cells may be involved by releasing ATP. In the present study, we investigated whether and how activated Müller cells may induce changes in P2X7R expression in RGCs by using immunohistochemistry and Western blot techniques. ...