Two haplotypes of the P2X7 receptor containing the Ala-348 to Thr polymorphism exhibit a gain-of-function effect and enhanced interleukin-1ß secretion

The P2X7 receptor is an ATP-gated cation channel expressed in immune cells and plays a role in proinflammatory cytokine release from monocytes and macrophages. This study investigated the coinheritance of 12 functionally relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human P2X7 gene (P2RX7), and the functional effect of each singly and in combination was assessed by measurements of ATP-induced currents and ethidium+ uptake. Genotyping of 3430 Caucasian subjects identified 4 common haplotypes in addition to the common (wild-type) P2X7-1. Two haplotypes (denoted P2X7-2 and P2X7-4) contained various combinations of gain-of-function SNPs. P2X7-4 was identified uniquely by the Gln-460 to Arg polymorphism (rs2230912). When expressed in HEK-293 cells, recombinant P2X7-2, and P2X7-4 haplotypes displayed a 3-fold and 5-fold increase, respectively, in receptor function compared to the wild-type P2X7-1. Both P2X7 haplotypes contained the Ala-348>Thr polymorphism (rs1718119), and this mutation was critical for the gain-of-function effect. Peripheral blood monocytes and erythrocytes from subjects homozygous for gain-of-function P2X7 haplotypes exhibited increased ATP-induced ethidium+ uptake and 86Rb + efflux, respectively, and this correlated with increased IL-1β secretion from LPS-primed monocytes. Inheritance of these P2X7 haplotypes predisposing to increased proinflammatory cytokine secretion may be important in genetic association studies of inflammatory, infectious, and psychiatric disorders