Receptores purinérgicos P2X7 e A2a como bases moleculares e alvos terapêuticos para a depressão: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract

Depressive processes are characterized by the presence of sad, empty or irritable mood, which impair the individual's quality of life and biopsychosocial functioning. Depression is a disabling disorder, which has a complex pathophysiology, involving neurotrophic, monoaminergic and neuroendocrine hypotheses, associated with genetic and environmental factors. In recent years, the literature has demonstrated the involvement of purinergic signaling in the physiological response to stress, as well as in the pathophysiological process of depression and other mood disorders, making this signaling pathway of fundamental importance for a better understanding and management of the disease. Objective: to gather data from the literature on the relationship between the expression of P2X7 and A2A purinergic receptors and their role in the development and aggravation of depressive disorders, as well as the effects of modulating these receptors as a therapeutic alternative in the treatment of depression. Methodology: a systematic literature review was performed by searching PubMed and ScienceDirect databases for articles published in the last 10 years, considering animal models of depression. Results: P2X7R has more advanced studies and a more consolidated role in depression, in such a way that, in short, its activation and greater expression produce a depressive phenotype, while its blockage has antidepressant effects. On the other hand, the role of A2AR is still controversial in the literature, so that some studies point to its antagonism as beneficial for the treatment of depression, while others demonstrate that its activation leads to an improvement in depressive symptoms. Conclusion: the receptors studied showed a close relationship with depressive behaviors and their modulation showed interesting results that can serve as a basis for future research that seeks to use such receptors as a therapeutic strategy for depression.