title: Purinergic regulation of the immune system.
abstract: Cellular stress or apoptosis triggers the release of ATP, ADP and other nucleotides into the extracellular space. Extracellular nucleotides function as autocrine and paracrine signalling molecules by activating cell-surface P2 purinergic receptors that elicit pro-inflammatory immune responses. Over time, extracellular nucleotides are metabolized to adenosine, leading to reduced P2 signalling and increased signalling through anti-inflammatory adenosine (P1 purinergic) receptors. Here, we review how local purinergic signalling changes over time during tissue responses to injury or disease, and we discuss the potential of targeting purinergic signalling pathways for the immunotherapeutic treatment of ischaemia, organ transplantation, autoimmunity or cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey.
authors.forename: Caglar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cekic
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Immunology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Linden
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D011687:Purines / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D011687:Purines