Adenosine kinase, epilepsy and stroke: mechanisms and therapies.

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Boison D

Adenosine kinase, epilepsy and stroke: mechanisms and therapies.

Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2006 Dec;27(12):652-8. Epub 2006 Oct 23.

PubMed ID

17056128 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

Adenosine is an inhibitory modulator of brain activity with neuroprotective and anticonvulsant properties. Adenosine levels are regulated mainly by adenosine kinase (ADK), an enzyme that is responsible for the removal of adenosine via phosphorylation to AMP. Recent evidence indicates that expression of ADK undergoes rapid coordinated changes during brain development and following brain injury, such as after epileptic seizures and stroke. Thus, transient downregulation of ADK after acute brain injury protects the brain from seizures and cell death. Conversely, chronic overexpression of ADK causes seizures in epilepsy and promotes cell death in epilepsy and stroke. These findings have direct implications for the rational definition of ADK as a therapeutic target. In recent years, novel treatment strategies have been developed that make use of the intracerebral transplantation of cells that are ADK deficient and, thus, release adenosine. A new era of cell-based delivery of adenosine has begun, which holds great promise for novel therapies for epilepsy and stroke.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Enzymes

Drug	Enzyme	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Adenosine	Adenosine kinase	Protein	Humans	Unknown	Substrate	Details