Mood disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that represent leading global disease burdens. Increasing evidence from clinical and preclinical studies supports that innate immune system dysfunction plays an important part in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. P2X7 receptor, belonging to the ligand-gated ion channel P2X subfamily of purinergic P2 receptors for extracellular ATP, is highly expressed in immune cells including microglia in the central nervous system (CNS) and has a vital role in mediating innate immune response. The P2X7 receptor is also important in neuron-glia signalling in the CNS. The gene encoding human P2X7 receptor is located in a locus of susceptibility to mood disorders. In this review, we will discuss the recent progress in understanding the role of the P2X7 receptor in the pathogenesis and development of mood disorders and in discovering CNS-penetrable P2X7 antagonists for potential uses in in vivo imaging to monitor brain inflammation and antidepressant therapeutics.

情绪障碍是一组精神疾病，代表主要的全球疾病负担。来自临床和临床前研究的越来越多的证据支持先天免疫系统功能障碍在情绪障碍的病理生理学中起着重要的作用。P2X7受体属于细胞外ATP的嘌呤能P2受体的配体门控离子通道P2X亚家族，在中枢神经系统（CNS）的小胶质细胞等免疫细胞中高度表达，在介导先天免疫应答中起着至关重要的作用。P2X7受体在中枢神经系统的神经胶质细胞信号传导中也很重要。编码人P2X7受体的基因位于易患情绪障碍的地方。在这篇评论中，体内成像以监测脑部炎症和抗抑郁药物。