Targeting P2 receptors in purinergic signaling: a new strategy of active ingredients in traditional Chinese herbals for diseases treatment

Abstract

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its metabolites adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate, and adenosine in purinergic signaling pathway play important roles in many diseases. Activation of P2 receptors (P2R) channels and subsequent membrane depolarization can induce accumulation of extracellular ATP, and furtherly cause kinds of diseases, such as pain-and immune-related diseases, cardiac dysfunction, and tumorigenesis. Active ingredients of traditional Chinese herbals which exhibit superior pharmacological activities on diversified P2R channels have been considered as an alternative strategy of disease treatment. Experimental evidence of potential ingredients in Chinese herbs targeting P2R and their pharmacological activities were outlined in the study.

P2X7 receptor involved in antitumor activity of atractylenolide I in human cervical cancer cells

“…In the purinergic system, growing evidence supported that purinergic P2X7Rs play important role in different cancers, including lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and acute myeloid leukemia [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Apart from the strategy targeting the P2X7 ion channel, from antibodies and nanobodies to small-molecule drugs, which has been proved to improve the outcomes in models of cancer [20][21][22][23][24], the nature product is also taken into account for the development of potential anti-cancer drug to target purinergic receptors [25,26]. Atractylenolide I (Atr-I, Fig.…”