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Heterogeneity of the Functional Expression of P2X3 and P2X2/3 Receptors in the Primary Nociceptive Neurons of Rat

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Abstract

The properties and functional expression of the purinergic receptors in small (nociceptive) neurons acutely isolated from the DRG of rat were studied using whole-cell patch-clamp recording. The responses of small DRG neurons to ATP exhibited diverse kinetics and could be subdivided into three types: rapid, slow and mixed kinetics responses. Their affinities to agonists allowed to identify the responsible receptors as P2X3 (“fast”) and heteromeric P2X2/3 (“slow”) subtypes. The expression of different responses dramatically varied both on the neuron-to-neuron and animal-to-animal basis. Out of 744 neurons tested 24% of cells demonstrated predominance of functional P2X2/3 receptors, 44% had mixed representation and in 32% of cells P2X3 receptors dominated. All the animals tested (110) could be subdivided into 3 groups: in 19% of animals the response of each cell to ATP was mediated by P2X2/3 receptors, both types of ATP-evoked currents were found in 58% of animals and only in 23% of the animals P2X3 receptors dominated. Our results argue with exclusive role of P2X3 receptors in purinergic signaling in primary nociceptive neurons.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cellular Membranology, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Bogomoletz St. 4, 01024, Kyiv, Ukraine

    Yu. V. Pankratov, U. V. Lalo, A. N. Dashkin & O. A. Krishtal

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  1. Yu. V. Pankratov
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Pankratov, Y.V., Lalo, U.V., Dashkin, A.N. et al. Heterogeneity of the Functional Expression of P2X3 and P2X2/3 Receptors in the Primary Nociceptive Neurons of Rat. Neurochem Res 26, 993–1000 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012344803672

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