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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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P2RX4
purinergic receptor P2X 4
Chromosome 12 · 12q24.31
NCBI Gene: 5025Ensembl: ENSG00000135124.17HGNC: HGNC:8535UniProt: Q99571
103PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Ion ChannelReceptorTransporter
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
purinergic nucleotide receptor signaling pathwaycalcium ion transmembrane transportpositive regulation of blood vessel endothelial cell migrationrelaxation of cardiac musclehypertensionShockAbruptio Placentaeobesity
✦AI Summary

P2RX4 encodes an ATP-gated nonselective cation channel permeable to potassium, sodium, and calcium ions 1. The channel plays critical roles in both normal physiology and pathological conditions. In cancer biology, P2RX4 promotes tumor progression through multiple mechanisms. Upon chemotherapy-induced cell death, dying cancer cells release ATP that activates P2RX4, triggering an mTOR-dependent pro-survival program in neighboring cells and creating therapeutic vulnerabilities 1. P2RX4 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis across multiple cancer types and promotes malignant behaviors including cell proliferation, invasion, and resistance to apoptosis 23. The receptor facilitates hepatocellular carcinoma progression by increasing intracellular calcium levels and activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathways 3. In non-cancer contexts, P2RX4 contributes to autophagy regulation and lysosomal function 45. The channel also participates in immune system modulation, influencing macrophage and T regulatory cell infiltration in tumors 3, and mediates fibroblast-myeloid cell crosstalk in pulmonary fibrosis through ATP-IL-6 signaling 6. Additionally, P2RX4 plays roles in vascular pathology by promoting smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching in abdominal aortic aneurysms 7.

Sources cited
1
P2RX4 is an ATP-gated cation channel that mediates mTOR-dependent survival programs in cancer cells following chemotherapy
PMID: 36385525
2
P2RX4 overexpression occurs in multiple cancers and is associated with poor prognosis
PMID: 40181033
3
P2RX4 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma through calcium-mediated PI3K/AKT activation
PMID: 41068852
4
P2RX4 regulates autophagy flux in Parkinson's disease models
PMID: 34092198
5
P2RX4 is involved in lysosomal membrane function
PMID: 37471054
6
P2RX4 mediates fibroblast IL-6 expression in lung fibrosis through ATP signaling
PMID: 40875483
7
P2RX4 promotes vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching in abdominal aortic aneurysms
PMID: 38821358
Disease Associationsⓘ20
hypertensionOpen Targets
0.32Weak
ShockOpen Targets
0.26Weak
Abruptio PlacentaeOpen Targets
0.26Weak
obesityOpen Targets
0.24Weak
retinopathyOpen Targets
0.21Weak
retinoschisisOpen Targets
0.21Weak
type 2 diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.20Weak
major depressive disorderOpen Targets
0.19Weak
schizophreniaOpen Targets
0.18Weak
anorexia nervosaOpen Targets
0.18Weak
posterior cortical atrophyOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
depressive disorderOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitisOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
Alzheimer diseaseOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
colitisOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
neutrophil immunodeficiency syndromeOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Blackfan-Diamond anemiaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
atherosclerosisOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
GRIN2AProtein interaction98%GRIN2CProtein interaction98%GRIN2DProtein interaction98%P2RY1Protein interaction95%P2RY2Protein interaction80%P2RY4Protein interaction80%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Lung
67%
Ovary
53%
Liver
52%
Heart
23%
Brain
18%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
P2RX4GRIN2AGRIN2CGRIN2DP2RY1P2RY2P2RY4
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB9BQH · 2.27 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.08LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.82 [0.64–1.08]
RankingsWhere P2RX4 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #4,655of 20,598
    Most Researched103 · top quartile
  • #10,961of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.08
Genes detectedP2RX4
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Periplocin suppresses the growth of colorectal cancer cells by triggering LGALS3 (galectin 3)-mediated lysophagy.
PMID: 37471054
Autophagy · 2023
1.00
2
Colon tumour cell death causes mTOR dependence by paracrine P2X4 stimulation.
PMID: 36385525
Nature · 2022
0.90
3
Myeloid-mesenchymal crosstalk drives ARG1-dependent profibrotic metabolism via ornithine in lung fibrosis.
PMID: 40875483
J Clin Invest · 2025
0.80
4
Piperine promotes autophagy flux by P2RX4 activation in
PMID: 34092198
Autophagy · 2022
0.70
5
Sympathetic hyperinnervation drives abdominal aortic aneurysm development by promoting vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching.
PMID: 38821358
J Adv Res · 2025
0.60