Biological relevance of A2a receptor in Schwann cells infected by Mycobacterium leprae: a possible pathway involved in leprosy?

Abstract

Introduction: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae which evokes a strong inflammatory response and leads to nerve damage. Two important aspects that favor the establishment of infection and survival of M. leprae are: lipid droplet accumulation and the capacity to induce rapid demyelination after extracellular binding to myelinating Schwann cells (SC). Recently, purinergic receptors have been shown to participate in myelination processes, lipid metabolism and immune response. In addition, the purinergic signaling system plays an important role by modulating inflammatory and immune responses, via extracellular adenine nucleotides and their derived nucleoside adenosine (ADO). The enzymatic activities of CD39, CD73 and Adenosine deaminase play strategic roles in regulating purinergic signals through the conversion of ADP/ATP to AMP, AMP to adenosine and adenosine to inosine respectively.