Therapeutic potentials of adenosine receptors agonists and antagonists in colitis; Current status and perspectives.

Increasing evidence suggests that adenosine is dysregulated in ulcerative colitis (UC), potentially affecting UC pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy. Dysregulation of the activity of adenosine generating enzymes including adenosine deaminase in serum of patients with acute colitis supports the role of this omnipresent metabolite in the pathogenesis of colitis. Adenosine regulates inflammatory responses including epithelial barrier hyper-permeability, myeloperoxidase activity, and neuromuscular motility in colitis, supporting the therapeutic potency of adenosine receptors agonists and antagonists in this disease. Depending upon the adenosine receptor subtype, activation or suppression of the receptor with pharmacological agonists or antagonists attenuates colitis pathological symptoms in colitis model. This review summarizes the role of adenosine receptors agonists and antagonists in the pathogenesis of colitis for a better understanding and hence a better management of this disease.