Bile acids are potent inhibitors of rat P2X2 receptors

Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) regulates a broad variety of physiological functions in a number of tissues partly via ionotropic P2X receptors. Therefore, P2X receptors are promising targets for the development of therapeutically active molecules. Bile acids are cholesterol-derived amphiphilic molecules; their primary function is the facilitation of efficient nutrient fat digestion. However, bile acids have also been shown to serve as signaling molecules and as modulators of different membrane proteins and receptors including ion channels. In addition, some P2X receptors are sensitive to structurally related steroid hormones. In this study, we systematically analyzed whether rat P2X receptors are affected by micromolar concentrations of different bile acids. The taurine-conjugated bile acids TLCA, THDCA, and TCDCA potently inhibited P2X2, whereas other P2X receptors were only mildly affected. Furthermore, stoichiometry and species origin of the P2X receptors affected the modulation by bile acids: in comparison to rat P2X2, the heteromeric P2X2/3 receptor was less potently modulated and the human P2X2 receptor was potentiated by TLCA. In summary, bile acids are a new class of P2X receptor modulators, which might be of physiological relevance.