Adenosinergic

Adenosinergic refers to the actions or effects of adenosine in the body. Adenosine is a nucleoside that plays crucial roles in various physiological processes. It is involved in energy transfer as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP), as well as signal transduction as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP).

Adenosinergic System

The adenosinergic system is involved in a wide range of biological functions. It plays a key role in sleep regulation, with adenosine levels increasing during wakefulness and decreasing during sleep. The adenosinergic system also has a role in the regulation of blood flow to various organs, and in the modulation of the immune and inflammatory responses.

Adenosinergic Receptors

There are four known types of adenosinergic receptors: A1, A2A, A2B, and A3. These G protein-coupled receptors are found in various tissues throughout the body and have different functions depending on their location.

• A1 receptor - These receptors are inhibitory and are found in the brain, heart, and fat cells. They can decrease heart rate and contractility, and they have a role in the regulation of sleep and lipid metabolism.
• A2A receptor - These receptors are found in the brain, blood vessels, and immune cells. They can dilate blood vessels and inhibit the immune response.
• A2B receptor - These receptors are found in the gut, lung, and immune cells. They can stimulate the immune response and increase gut motility.
• A3 receptor - These receptors are found in the eye, heart, and immune cells. They can protect against ischemic injury and have a role in the regulation of intraocular pressure.

Pharmacology

Adenosinergic drugs can be used to manipulate the adenosinergic system for therapeutic purposes. For example, adenosine itself is used as a drug to treat certain types of supraventricular tachycardia. Other drugs can act as agonists or antagonists at adenosinergic receptors. For example, caffeine is a non-selective antagonist of adenosinergic receptors.

See Also

• Purinergic signaling
• Adenosine reuptake inhibitor
• Adenosine deaminase deficiency