Identification of functional P2x7 receptor in rat cerebellar astrocytes

Cerebellar astrocytes co-express multiple metabotropic P2Y nucleotide receptors involved in relevant signalling events. The current study supports the novel presence of functional ionotropic P2X(7) nucleotide receptors in these cells. Although both P2X(4) and P2X(7) receptors were expressed at the protein level, the responses found with the specific agonist BzATP are in agreement with the activation of a P2X7 type, which exhibits a distinctive behaviour in astrocytes: i) BzATP-induced calcium increases are sustained, and not transient, as those obtained with the metabotropic agonists 2MeSADP and UTP; ii) between these nucleotides BzATP produces the maximal activation of ERK1/2; iii) BzATP, far from inducing cell lysis as described for P2X7 receptors, induces significant morphological changes in astrocytes and leads to differentiation.