Abstract
Anedoctal evidence accumulated over almost 20 years has shown that many different cell types are killed by sustained exposure to high concentrations of extracellular ATP. The plasma membrane receptors involved have been pharmacologically characterized and cloned during the last 3 years, and named purinergic P2X. P2X receptors share an intriguing structural relatedness with Caenorhabditis elegans degenerins and mammalian amiloride-sensitive Na channels (ENaCs). Depending on the ATP dose, length of stimulation and receptor subtype, P2X receptor stimulation may cause necrosis or apoptosis. The intracellular pathways activated are poorly known, but the perturbation in intracellular ion homeostasis clearly plays a major role. ICE proteases (caspases) are also triggered, nonetheless their activation is not requested for ATP-dependent cell death. The physiological meaning of P2X receptor-dependent cytotoxicity is not understood, but an involvement in immune-mediated reactions is postulated.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Edited by M. Piacentini
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Virgilio, F., Chiozzi, P., Falzoni, S. et al. Cytolytic P2X purinoceptors. Cell Death Differ 5, 191–199 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cdd.4400341
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cdd.4400341
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Research Progress in the Relationship Between P2X7R and Cervical Cancer
Reproductive Sciences (2023)
-
P2X7 receptor promotes migration and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells through the PI3K/Akt pathways
Purinergic Signalling (2023)
-
Effects of a P2X7 receptor antagonist on myenteric neurons in the distal colon of an experimental rat model of ulcerative colitis
Histochemistry and Cell Biology (2022)
-
P2X7 receptor: the regulator of glioma tumor development and survival
Purinergic Signalling (2022)
-
P2X7 receptor: a critical regulator and potential target for breast cancer
Journal of Molecular Medicine (2021)