Mechanism and recent advances of P2X receptor modulators
The P2X receptor,an ATP-activated ligand-gated cation channel,is involved in a variety of physiological and pathological functions and is an important target for new drugs.At present,clinical researches on small molecule drugs targeting P2X receptor are mostly stopped because of the unexpected results or obvious side effects.Clear regulation mechanisms can provide new perspectives for rational drug design targeting P2X receptors,accelerating drug discovery and effectiveness.Here,we review the regulatory mechanisms of P2X receptor modulators and the latest research progress on small molecule drugs targeting P2X receptors.