The aim of this paper was to check the possible interaction of two of the four purinergic P1 receptors, the A2A and the A3. Discovery of the A2A-A3 receptor complex was achieved by means of immunocytochemistry and of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer. The functional properties and heteromer print identification were addressed by combining binding and signaling assays. The physiological role of the novel heteromer is to provide a differential signaling depending on the pre-coupling to signal transduction components and/or on the concentration of the endogenous agonist. The main feature was that the heteromeric context led to a marked decrease of the signaling originating at A3 receptors. Interestingly from a therapeutic point of view, A2A receptor antagonists overrode the blockade, thus allowing A3 receptor-mediated signaling. The A2A-A3 receptor heteromer print was detected in primary cortical neurons. These and previous results suggest that all four adenosine receptors may interact with each other. Therefore, each adenosine receptor could form heteromers with distinct properties, expanding the signaling outputs derived from the binding of adenosine to its cognate receptors.
Keywords: G-protein-coupled receptors; cortical neurons; cross-antagonism; heteromer print; purinergic P1 receptors.