P2X2 and P2X3 receptor expression in human bladder urothelium and changes in interstitial cystitis

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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the expression of P2X3 receptors (implicated in the pathophysiology of pain) is altered in human bladder urothelium from patients with interstitial cystitis (IC, a major symptom of which is pain), and as P2X2 receptors can be co‐expressed with P2X3 receptors, to assess their expression also.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Bladder tissue samples were collected from patients undergoing cystectomy or radical prostatectomy. Patients with IC were diagnosed using the international criteria. RNA protein expression levels of both receptors were evaluated using reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (PCR), real‐time quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis.RESULTS: P2X2 was expressed in the human urothelium, in a glycosylated form. There was less gene expression of P2X3 in IC urothelium, whereas P2X2 gene expression was unchanged. This contrasted with the protein expression, which was increased for both P2X2 and P2X3.CONCLUSION: This is the first report of the expression of the P2X2 receptor in human bladder urothelium. There was greater protein expression of both P2X2 and P2X3 in IC bladder urothelium which did not directly correlate with the gene expression. Changes in expression of P2X2 and P2X3 receptors may contribute to the pain that patients with IC have, and might provide novel drug targets.