Intercellular calcium wave propagation initiated by mechanical stress is a phenomenon found in nearly all cell types. The waves utilize two pathways: transfer of InsP3 directly from cell to cell through gap junction channels and release of ATP onto extracellular purinergic receptors. The conduit for ATP has remained elusive and both a vesicular and a channel mediated release have been considered. Here, we describe the properties of single pannexin 1 channels. They have a wide expression spectrum, they are of large conductance and permeant for ATP, and they are mechanosensitive. Hence, pannexins are candidates for the release of ATP to the extracellular space upon mechanical stress.

ATP is a widely used extracellular signaling molecule. The mechanism of ATP release from cells is presently unresolved and may be either vesicular or channel-mediated. Erythrocytes release ATP in response to low oxygen or to shear stress. In the absence of vesicles, the release has to be through channels. Erythrocytes do not form gap junctions. Yet, here we show with immunohistochemical and electrophysiological data that erythrocytes express the gap junction protein pannexin 1. This protein, in addition to forming gap junction channels in paired oocytes, can also form a mechanosensitive and ATP-permeable channel in the nonjunctional plasma membrane. Consistent with a role of pannexin 1 as an ATP release channel, ATP release by erythrocytes was attenuated by the gap junction blocker carbenoxolone. Furthermore, under conditions of ATP release, erythrocytes took up fluorescent tracer molecules permeant to gap junction channels.ATP release ͉ gap junction ͉ hemichannel ͉ dye uptake P annexins represent a recently discovered second family of gap junction proteins in vertebrates (1). Pannexins have no sequence homology with the well known connexin family of vertebrate gap junction proteins. Instead, they are related to innexins, which were originally considered to be exclusively invertebrate gap junction proteins. The functional role of pannexins is unknown. The existence of connexin-specific diseases, despite an overlap of connexin and pannexin expression, suggests a functional role of pannexins that is distinct from that of connexins. Pannexin 1, in addition to forming gap junctions in paired oocytes, also forms nonjunctional membrane channels that provide a passageway from the cytoplasm to the extracellular space for molecules in the size range of second messengers (2, 3). It can be hypothesized that the physiological role of pannexin 1 is formation of a nonjunctional membrane channel.Although the role of ATP as an extracellular signaling molecule is well recognized (4), the release mechanism for ATP from cells to the extracellular space has remained enigmatic. Two general release modes have been proposed: (i) vesicular release akin to the exocytotic release of transmitters and (ii) channel-mediated release. Although vesicular ATP release is well documented (5, 6), it cannot account for all of the ATP release phenomena. In particular, ATP is released from erythrocytes, which, under physiological conditions, are vesicle-free (7). Various channels have been implicated in the process, including CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator), connexin 43 (Cx43) hemichannels, a volumeregulated channel (VRAC), and the purinergic receptor P2X7 (5,6,(8)(9)(10)(11). However, the evidence for their involvement falls short because of questionable specificity of the pharmacological blockers used to determine channel identity.Mechanical stress is a prime stimulus for ATP release in many cell types, including erythrocytes (12). An efficient release mechanism thus may involve a channel that is both mechanosensitive and...

The inflammasome is a multiprotein complex involved in innate immunity. Activation of the inflammasome causes the processing and release of the cytokines interleukins 1␤ and 18. In primary macrophages, potassium ion flux and the membrane channel pannexin 1 have been suggested to play roles in inflammasome activation. However, the molecular mechanism(s) governing inflammasome signaling remains poorly defined, and it is undetermined whether these mechanisms apply to the central nervous system. Here we show that high extracellular potassium opens pannexin channels leading to caspase-1 activation in primary neurons and astrocytes. The effect of K ؉ on pannexin 1 channels was independent of membrane potential, suggesting that stimulation of inflammasome signaling was mediated by an allosteric effect. The activation of the inflammasome by K Pannexin 1 is a vertebrate ortholog of the invertebrate innexin gap junction proteins (1), but it does not appear to form functional gap junctions in vivo. Instead pannexin 1 acts as a membrane channel that carries ions and signaling molecules between the cytoplasm and the extracellular space (2, 3). As such, it is a candidate ATP release channel in various cell types, including erythrocytes, astrocytes, bronchial epithelial cells, and taste cells. Various functional roles have been ascribed to pannexin 1 including local vascular perfusion control and propagation of intercellular calcium waves (4 -6). Recently pannexin 1 was also shown to form the large pore of the P2X7 purinergic receptor (7, 8). P2X7 plays a major role in inflammation, and its activation by extracellular ATP results in release of interleukin (IL) 2 -1␤ from macrophages, probably involving pannexin 1 as a signaling molecule (7).IL-1␤ production and maturation are tightly regulated by caspase-1 incorporated into large protein complexes termed inflammasomes (9 -11). The molecular composition of the inflammasome depends on the identity of the NOD-like receptor (NLR) family member serving as a scaffold protein in the complex (12). The members of the cytosolic NLR family appear to recognize conserved microbial and viral components termed pathogen-associated molecular patterns in intracellular compartments (13). The bipartite adaptor protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) bridges the interaction between NLR proteins and inflammatory caspases and plays a central role in the assembly of inflammasomes and the activation of caspase-1 in response to a broad range of pathogen-associated molecular patterns and intracellular pathogens (14). In addition, the inflammasome can be activated by danger-associated molecular patterns, molecules endogenous to the organism that signal stress or injury, including extracellular ATP acting at ionotropic P2X7 receptors, fibronectin, or monosodium urate crystals (15,16). Moreover it has been suggested that a rapid K ϩ efflux through ATP-activated P2X7 receptors induces inflammasome assembly (17)(18)(19)(20).Despite the recent advances in the understanding of a...

The ability for long-range communication through intercellular calcium waves is inherent to cells of many tissues. A dual propagation mode for these waves includes passage of IP3 through gap junctions as well as an extracellular pathway involving ATP. The wave can be regenerative and include ATP-induced ATP release via an unknown mechanism. Here, we show that pannexin 1 channels can be activated by extracellular ATP acting through purinergic receptors of the P2Y group as well as by cytoplasmic calcium. Based on its properties, including ATP permeability, pannexin 1 may be involved in both initiation and propagation of calcium waves.

The purinergic receptor P2X 7 is part of a complex signaling mechanism participating in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Depending on the activation scheme, P2X 7 receptors in vivo are non-selective cation channels or form large pores that can mediate apoptotic cell death. Expression of P2X 7 R in Xenopus oocytes results exclusively in formation of a non-selective cation channel. However, here we show that coexpression of P2X 7 R with pannexin1 in oocytes leads to the complex response seen in many mammalian cells, including cell death with prolonged ATP application. While the cation channel activity is resistant to carbenoxolone treatment, this gap junction and hemichannel blocking drug suppressed the currents induced by ATP in pannexin1/P2X 7 R co-expressing cells. Thus, pannexin1 appears to be the molecular substrate for the permeabilization pore (or death receptor channel) recruited into the P2X 7 R signaling complex.