Perspectives of purinergic signaling in stem cell differentiation and tissue regeneration

Replacement of lost or dysfunctional tissues by stem cells has recently raised many investigations on therapeutic applications. Purinergic signaling has been shown to regulate proliferation, differentiation, cell death, and successful engraftment of stem cells originated from diverse origins. Adenosine triphosphate release occurs in a controlled way by exocytosis, transporters, and lysosomes or in large amounts from damaged cells, which is then subsequently degraded into adenosine. Paracrine and autocrine mechanisms induced by immune responses present critical factors for the success of stem cell therapy. While P1 receptors generally exert beneficial effects including anti-inflammatory activity, P2 receptor-mediated actions depend on the subtype of stimulated receptors and localization of tissue repair. Pro-inflammatory actions and excitatory tissue damages mainly result from P2X7 receptor activation, while other purinergic receptor subtypes participate in proliferation and differentiation, thereby providing adequate niches for stem cell engraftment and novel mechanisms for cell therapy and endogenous tissue repair. Therapeutic applications based on regulation of purinergic signaling are foreseen for kidney and heart muscle regeneration, Clara-like cell replacement for pulmonary and bronchial epithelial cells as well as for induction of neurogenesis in case of neurodegenerative diseases.     

Hydrolysis of ATP,ADP, and AMP is increased in blood plasma of prostate cancer patients

Purinergic Signalling - Prostate cancer is among the major malignancies that affect men around the world. Adenine nucleotides are important signaling molecules that mediate innumerous biological...     

High P2X6 receptor expression in human bladder cancer predicts good survival prognosis

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - As alterations in purinergic signaling have been observed in bladder diseases, we aimed to assess the potential prognostic role of purinergic receptors in...