The nature of the three narrow hidden-charm pentaquark Pc states, i.e., Pc(4312), Pc(4440) and Pc(4457), is under intense discussion since their discovery from the updated analysis of the process $$ {\Lambda}_b^0\to J/\psi {pK}^{-} $$
Λ
b
0
→
J
/
ψ
pK
−
by LHCb. In this work we extend our previous coupled-channel approach [Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 072001 (2020)], in which the Pc states are treated as $$ {\Sigma}_c^{\left(\ast \right)}{\overline{D}}^{\left(\ast \right)} $$
Σ
c
∗
D
¯
∗
molecules, by including the $$ {\Lambda}_c{\overline{D}}^{\left(\ast \right)} $$
Λ
c
D
¯
∗
and ηcp as explicit inelastic channels in addition to the J/ψp, as required by unitarity and heavy quark spin symmetry (HQSS), respectively. Since inelastic parameters are very badly constrained by the current data, three calculation schemes are considered: (a) scheme I with pure contact interactions between the elastic, i.e., $$ {\Sigma}_c^{\left(\ast \right)}{\overline{D}}^{\left(\ast \right)} $$
Σ
c
∗
D
¯
∗
, and inelastic channels and without the $$ {\Lambda}_c{\overline{D}}^{\left(\ast \right)} $$
Λ
c
D
¯
∗
interactions, (b) scheme II, where the one-pion exchange (OPE) is added to scheme I, and (c) scheme III, where the $$ {\Lambda}_c{\overline{D}}^{\left(\ast \right)} $$
Λ
c
D
¯
∗
interactions are included in addition. It is shown that to obtain cutoff independent results, OPE in the multichannel system is to be supplemented with S-wave-to-D-wave mixing contact terms. As a result, in line with our previous analysis, we demonstrate that the experimental data for the J/ψp invariant mass distribution are consistent with the interpretation of the Pc(4312) and Pc(4440)/Pc(4457) as $$ {\Lambda}_c\overline{D} $$
Λ
c
D
¯
and $$ {\Sigma}_c{\overline{D}}^{\ast } $$
Σ
c
D
¯
∗
hadronic molecules, respectively, and that the data show clear evidence for a new narrow state, Pc(4380), identified as a $$ {\Sigma}_c^{\ast}\overline{D} $$
Σ
c
∗
D
¯
molecule, which should exist as a consequence of HQSS. While two statistically equally good solutions are found in scheme I, only one of these solutions with the quantum numbers of the Pc(4440) and Pc(4457) being JP = 3/2− and 1/2−, respectively, survives the requirement of regulator independence once the OPE is included. Moreover, we predict the line shapes in the elastic and inelastic channels and demonstrate that those related to the Pc(4440) and the Pc(4457) in the $$ {\Sigma}_c^{\left(\ast \right)}\overline{D} $$
Σ
c
∗
D
¯
and ηcp mass distributions from $$ {\Lambda}_b^0\to {\Sigma}_c^{\left(\ast \right)}\overline{D}{K}^{-} $$
Λ
b
0
→
Σ
c
∗
D
¯
K
−
and $$ {\Lambda}_b^0\to {\eta}_c{pK}^{-} $$
Λ
b
0
→
η
c
pK
−
will shed light on the quantum numbers of those states, once the data are available. We also investigate possible pentaquark signals in the $$ {\Lambda}_c{\overline{D}}^{\left(\ast \right)} $$
Λ
c
D
¯
∗
final states.