The purinergic receptor P2X7 is highly expressed in immune peripheral and central cells suggesting its important role in numerous diseases characterized by inflammatory processes like cancer, or neurodegenerative pathologies in relation with modulation of the immune system. Thereby, antagonization of this receptor may be a hopeful therapeutic strategy to treat a large range of diseases. Indeed, selective P2X7 antagonists display beneficial anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and in some cases, anticancer properties. This article will review the involvement of P2X7 in the immune system, the update of P2X7 antagonists series since 2009 and their promising therapeutic potential for the treatment of several immune- related diseases.
This report deals with the design, the synthesis and the pharmacological evaluation of pyroglutamide-based P2RX7 antagonists. A dozen were shown to possess improved properties, among which inhibition of YO-PRO-1/TO-PRO-3 uptake and IL1β release upon BzATP activation of the receptor and dampening signs of DSS-induced colitis on mice, in comparison with reference antagonist GSK1370319A. Docking study and biological evaluation of synthesized compounds has highlighted new SAR, and low toxicity profiles of pyroglutamides herein described are clues for the finding of a usable h-P2RX7 antagonist drug. Such a drug would raise the hope for a cure to many P2RX7-dependant pathologies, including inflammatory, neurological and immune diseases.
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