NCT03918616: NeuroInfiam

P2X7 Receptor, Inflammation and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Completed Last updated 13 August 2019

What this trial tests

trial testing Memantine, Dopamine receptor-agonists in Neuro-Degenerative Disease in 50 participants. Completed in 30 March 2019.

Timeline

20 February 2017

Primary endpoint
30 December 2018

30 March 2019

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	University of Pisa
Status	Completed
Study type	OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment	50
Start date	20 February 2017
Primary completion	30 December 2018
Estimated completion	30 March 2019
Sites	1 location across Italy

Drugs / interventions tested

• Memantine, Dopamine receptor-agonists — full drug profile →

Conditions studied

• Neuro-Degenerative Disease — all drugs for Neuro-Degenerative Disease →

Sponsor

University of Pisa

Who can join

Adults 45 to 80, any sex, with Neuro-Degenerative Disease. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Parkinson disease (PD) is a chronic degenerative disease characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Its pathophysiological mechanisms are still partially unknown; a main role seems to be played by chronic neuroinflammation. A few reports have addressed the possible involvement of the inflammasome in PD, just describing the protective effect of P2X7 purinergic receptor (P2X7R) blockers in murine models of the disease and in microglial cells, where NLRP3 is activated by α-Synuclein, triggering a neuroinflammation that contributes to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. It is still unclear whether, in addition to the increased brain expression and function of the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat, pyrin domain containing type 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome platform, a systemic activation of such complex might participate in the pathogenesis of PD, which could be the role of the P2X7R in this scenario, and whether such patterns undergo any specific epigenetic regulation. The present study has been designed to address these issues.

Publications & conference data

8 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Microglia in Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration: From Understanding to Therapy.
   Muzio L, Viotti A, Martino G. · · 2021 · cited 413× · PMID 34630027 · DOI 10.3389/fnins.2021.742065
2. Recent advances in molecular pathways and therapeutic implications targeting neuroinflammation for Alzheimer's disease.
   Dhapola R, Hota SS, Sarma P, Bhattacharyya A, et al · · 2021 · cited 254× · PMID 34813026 · DOI 10.1007/s10787-021-00889-6
3. The Pivotal Role of NF-kB in the Pathogenesis and Therapeutics of Alzheimer's Disease.
   Sun E, Motolani A, Campos L, Lu T. · · 2022 · cited 228× · PMID 36012242 · DOI 10.3390/ijms23168972
4. Inflammasomes as therapeutic targets in human diseases.
   Li Y, Huang H, Liu B, Zhang Y, et al · · 2021 · cited 166× · PMID 34210954 · DOI 10.1038/s41392-021-00650-z
5. Role of NLRP3 Inflammasome in Parkinson's Disease and Therapeutic Considerations.
   Nguyen LTN, Nguyen HD, Kim YJ, Nguyen TT, et al · · 2022 · cited 57× · PMID 35988226 · DOI 10.3233/jpd-223290
6. Purine and purinergic receptors in health and disease.
   Ai Y, Wang H, Liu L, Qi Y, et al · · 2023 · cited 25× · PMID 37692109 · DOI 10.1002/mco2.359
7. Biomarkers and therapeutic strategies targeting microglia in neurodegenerative diseases: current status and future directions.
   Noh MY, Kwon HS, Kwon MS, Nahm M, et al · · 2025 · cited 24× · PMID 40640892 · DOI 10.1186/s13024-025-00867-4
8. Ligand-Gated Ion Channels: Prognostic and Therapeutic Implications for Gliomas.
   Hey G, Rao R, Carter A, Reddy A, et al · · 2023 · cited 9× · PMID 37241023 · DOI 10.3390/jpm13050853