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Markus RP, Sousa KS, Ulrich H, Ferreira ZS. Partners in health and disease: pineal gland and purinergic signalling. Purinergic Signal 2024:10.1007/s11302-024-10037-8. [PMID: 39031242 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-024-10037-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024] Open
Abstract
In mammal's pineal glands, ATP interacts with the high-affinity P2Y1 and the low-affinity P2X7 receptors. ATP released from sympathetic nerve terminals potentiates noradrenaline-induced serotonin N-acetyltransferase (Snat) transcription, N-acetylserotonin (NAS), and melatonin (MLT) synthesis. Circulating melatonin impairs the expression of adhesion molecules in endothelial cells, blocking the migration of leukocytes. Acute defence response induced by pathogen- and danger/damage-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs and DAMPs) triggers the NF-κB pathway in pinealocytes and blocks the transcription of Snat. Therefore, the darkness hormone is not released, and neutrophils and monocytes migrate to the lesion sites. ATP released in high amounts from apoptotic and death cells was considered a DAMP, and the blockage of P2X7 receptors was tested as a new class of drugs for treating brain damage. However, this is not a simple equation. High ATP injected in a lateral ventricle blocked MLT, but not NAS, synthesis as it impairs the transcription of acetyl serotonin N-methyltransferase. NAS is released in the plasma and the cerebral spinal fluid. NAS also blocks the rolling and adhesion of leukocytes to endothelial cells. Otherwise, it is metabolised specifically in each brain area to provide the requested concentration of MLT as a neuroprotector. As observed in physiological conditions, high extracellular ATP, different from the other DAMPs, reports the environmental light/dark cycle rhythm because NAS substitutes MLT as the nocturnal chemical indicator, the darkness hormone. Thus, blocking the P2X7R should not be considered a universal therapy for improving acute strokes, as MLT and ATP are partners in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina P Markus
- Laboratory of Chronopharmacology, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Kassiano S Sousa
- Laboratory of Chronopharmacology, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Henning Ulrich
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Zulma S Ferreira
- Laboratory of Chronopharmacology, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Chagnot A, Montagne A. Connexins and blood-brain barrier: Beyond the gap. Neuron 2023; 111:3499-3501. [PMID: 37972562 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
In this issue of Neuron, Zhan, Meng, et al.1 explore the non-canonical roles of connexin-43 in brain endothelial cells and connect its faltering expression to the depletion of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), mitochondrial stress, and blood-brain barrier rupture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Chagnot
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.
| | - Axel Montagne
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.
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Hong S, Xin Y, JiaWen W, ShuQin Z, GuiLian Z, HaiQin W, Zhen G, HongWei R, YongNan L. The P2X7 receptor in activated microglia promotes depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in lithium -pilocarpine induced epileptic rats. Neurochem Int 2020; 138:104773. [PMID: 32531197 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Depressive and anxious behaviors are the most common psychiatric symptoms of epilepsy, and may aggravate the epileptic condition and affect the patient's quality of life. Accumulating data obtained from both experimental animal models and patients have convincingly shown a critical role of P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) during depression and anxiety. Our study showed for the first time that the P2X7R is involved in promoting depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in lithium pilocarpine-induced epileptic rats. More importantly, direct anti-depressive and anti-anxiety effects were produced by the P2X7R antagonist Brilliant Blue G (BBG) is in this study, and the effect was similar to that of the classic anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drug fluoxetine. We also found that BBG did not affect the development of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) and had a neuroprotective effect via inhibition of microglial activation after status epilepticus (SE). Thus, our data provide evidence that the P2X7R in activated microglia promotes depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in lithium-pilocarpine induced epileptic rats. Since previous studies have indicated that some anti-depression and anti-anxiety drugs may exacerbate seizures, our data support that the P2X7R is a promising therapeutic target for epilepsy associated with depression and anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Hong
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Yu Xin
- Department of Neurology, People's Liberation Army 401 Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Wu JiaWen
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Zhan ShuQin
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Zhang GuiLian
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Wu HaiQin
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Gao Zhen
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Reng HongWei
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Li YongNan
- Department of Neurology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China
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