The role of P2 receptors in controlling infections by intracellular pathogens

ORCiD

David M. Ojcius: 0000-0003-1461-4495

Department

Biomedical Sciences

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Purinergic Signalling

ISSN

1573-9538

Volume

3

DOI

10.1007/s11302-006-9039-6

First Page

83

Last Page

90

Publication Date

3-1-2007

Abstract

A growing number of studies have demonstrated the importance of ATPe-signalling via P2 receptors as an important component of the inflammatory response to infection. More recent studies have shown that ATPe can also have a direct effect on infection by intracellular pathogens, by modulating membrane trafficking in cells that contain vacuoles that harbour intracellular pathogens, such as mycobacteria and chlamydiae. A conserved mechanism appears to be involved in controlling infection by both of these pathogens, as a role for phospholipase D in inducing fusion between lysosomes and the vacuoles has been demonstrated. Other P2-dependent mechanisms are most likely operative in the cases of pathogens, such as Leishmania, which survive in an acidic phagolysosomal-like compartment. ATPee may function as a ‘danger signal–that alerts the immune system to the presence of intracellular pathogens that damage the host cell, while different intracellular pathogens have evolved enzymes or other mechanisms to inhibit ATPe-mediated signalling, which should, thus, be viewed as virulence factors for these pathogens.

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