Gene Regulation of Adenosine A 2A Receptors in the Central Nervous System

The A 2A adenosine receptor (A 2A R) is a G protein–coupled receptor that plays modulatory roles in many pathophysiological functions of the brain and peripheral tissues. Extensive efforts have been devoted to characterizing A 2A R expression because this receptor is a major target of caffeine—the key component of coffee and the most commonly used psychoactive substance. Expression of the A 2A R in the brain is tightly regulated throughout neuronal development and during the progression of several neurological diseases (including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease). In this chapter, we focus on the regulation of A 2A R expression at the molecular level in the central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system, as the immune system has been shown to greatly affect the CNS during stresses. Further investigation of the A 2A R gene will provide the needed foundation for understanding the functions of the A 2A R and the development of A 2A R-related therapeutic treatments.