title: Rat astroglial P2Z (P2X7) receptors regulate intracellular calcium and purine release.
abstract: Treatment of rat astrocyte cultures with 2'- and 3'-O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)-adenosine 5'-triphosphate (BzATP), a P2X7 agonist, but not with adenosine 5-[alpha, beta methylene] triphosphate (alpha, beta meATP), a P2X agonist, increased influx of extracellular Ca2+ and [Ca2+]i. Lucifer yellow, a small molecule which permeates P2X7 receptor-induced pores, entered BzATP-treated but not control astrocytes. BzATP also stimulated efflux of [3H]purine from cultured astrocytes. The P2X7 receptor antagonist oxidized ATP abolished the effects of BzATP on [Ca2+]i, lucifer yellow permeation and [3H]purine release, indicating that these effects were due to P2X7 receptor activation. In neurological diseases or injuries extracellular ATP may activate P2X7 receptors further enhancing [3H]purine release, with important pathophysiological consequences.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, University of Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ballerini
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rathbone
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Iorio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Renzetti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giuliani
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: D'Alimonte
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Trubiani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caciagli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ciccarelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D011687:Purines / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D011687:Purines; D002118:Calcium