Modulation of Thalamocingulate Nociceptive Transmission and Glutamate Secretion by Targeting P2×7 Receptor

The complexity and diversity of pain signaling have led to obstacles for prominent treatments due to mechanisms that are not yet fully understood. Among adenosine triphosphate (ATP) receptors, P2×7 differs in many respects from P2×1-6, it plays a significant role in various inflammatory pain, but whether it plays a role in noninflammatory pain has not been widely discussed. In this study, we utilized major neuropharmacological methods to record the effects of manipulating P2×7 during nociceptive signal transmission in the thalamocingulate circuits. Our results show that regardless of the specific cell type distribution of P2×7 in the central nervous system (CNS), it participates directly in the generated nociceptive transmission, which indicates its apparent functional existence in the major pain transmission path, the thalamocingulate circuits. Activation of P2×7 may facilitate transmission velocity along the thalamocingulate projection as well as neuron firings and synaptic vesicle release in anterior cingulate cortical neurons. Targeting thalamic P2×7 affects glutamate and ATP secretion during nociceptive signal transmission. The observations in this study provide evidence that the ATP receptor P2×7 presents in the central ascending pain path and plays a modulatory role during nociceptive transmission, which could contribute new insights for many antinociceptive applications. [Display omitted] •P2×7 receptors play a significant role in various inflammatory pain.•P2×7 participates directly in the nociceptive transmission in thalamocingulate pathway.•Activation of P2×7 may facilitate transmission velocity along the thalamocingulate projection.•P2×7 receptors may be released in anterior cingulate cortical neurons upon nociceptive stimulation.•P2×7 receptors play a modulatory role during nociceptive transmission.