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Proapoptotic plasma membrane pore: P2X 7 receptor
Author(s) -
Morelli Anna,
Ferrari Davide,
Bolognesi Giorgio,
Rizzuto Rosario,
Virgilio Francesco Di
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.1160
Subject(s) - intracellular , extracellular , microbiology and biotechnology , receptor , apoptosis , chemistry , ion channel , biology , biochemistry
ATP is not only the universal currency of energy metabolism but also a ubiquitous extracellular messenger. Among its many effects the ability to trigger cell death has attracted considerable interest. The plasma membrane receptor responsible for this effect has been cloned and shown to belong to the P2X family (P2X 7). The P2X 7 receptor is a plasma membrane ion channel that, under certain conditions, can grow to form a nonselective pore. Prolonged opening of this receptor is a potent apoptotic stimulus for several cell types. The main mechanism responsible for this deadly effect seems to reside in the drastic upset of the intracellular concentration of Ca 2+ as well as K + . The loss of intracellular K + has a permissive effect on the progression of apoptosis by causing the activation of key proapoptotic enzymes such as caspase 3 and NUC18. The P2X 7 receptor could be an interesting model for the study of apoptotic pathways triggered by plasma membrane channels. Drug Dev. Res. 52:571–578, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.