P2-receptors as promising target for future drugs
Now it is recognized that extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), along with certain other purine and pyrimidine compounds is capable to regulate many intracellular processes by affecting specific receptors - P2-receptors. These receptors are widely distributed in the organs and tissues of humans and animals. It has been shown that P2-receptors are involved in the vascular tone maintenance, nerve transmission modulation, hemostasis regulation and functions of many internal organs. P2-receptors wide variety and broad representation makes them very attractive as potential targets for new drugs with the original mechanism of action. About 20 years ago in the Kazan State Medical University laboratory was created and research group on studying the fundamental and applied aspects of the P2-receptors was formed. Professor A.U. Ziganshin, a disciple and colleague of professor G. Burnstock, leads this group. In this article, an overview of research carried out by the author or under his supervision over the past two decades to study the physiological and pathophysiological role of P2-receptors in humans and animals, as well as the evaluation of these receptors as potential targets for action of new drugs, is given. In particular, it describes the work to identify new and effective P2-receptors antagonists, the role and characteristics of ecto-ATPase activity in different tissues are described, an overview of studies to assess the unique hypersensitivity of P2-receptors at low temperatures is given. Also studies on assessing the presence and functional role of P2-receptors in the pregnant human uterus, inflamed fallopian tubes, various blood vessels are presented in summary form. Obviously, due to the growing interest of many pharmaceutical companies to this area, in the near future we can expect new drugs, which are P2-receptors agonists or antagonists and are effective in treatment of various human diseases.