title: P2X7 receptor: an emerging target in central nervous system diseases.
abstract: The ATP-sensitive homomeric P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) has received particular attention as a potential drug target because of its widespread involvement in inflammatory diseases as a key regulatory element of the inflammasome complex. However, it has only recently become evident that P2X7Rs also play a pivotal role in central nervous system (CNS) pathology. There is an explosion of data indicating that genetic deletion and pharmacological blockade of P2X7Rs alter responsiveness in animal models of neurological disorders, such as stroke, neurotrauma, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. Moreover, recent studies suggest that P2X7Rs regulate the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, including mood disorders, implicating P2X7Rs as drug targets in a variety of CNS pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1450 Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: sperlagh@koki.hu.
authors.forename: Beáta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sperlágh
authors.affiliation: Rudolf Boehm Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Illes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D058920:Purinergic P2X Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D058920:Purinergic P2X Receptor Antagonists; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7
keywords: ATP; P2X7 receptor; neurodegenerative diseases; psychiatric disorders