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ATP receptors and giant cell formation
Author(s) -
Di Virgilio Francesco,
Falzoni Simonetta,
Chiozzi Paola,
Sanz Juana M.,
Ferrari Davide,
Buell Gary N.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1002/jlb.66.5.723
Subject(s) - biology , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry
We have investigated the role of the purinergic P2X 7 receptor in the formation of multinucleated giant cells in human monocyte/macrophage cultures stimulated with either concanavalin A or phytohemagglutinin. Macrophage fusion can be blocked by a P2X 7 ‐selective pharmacological antagonist or by a mAb directed against the extracellular P2X 7 domain. Furthermore, macrophage cell clones expressing high P2X 7 levels spontaneously fuse in culture, whereas macrophage clones lacking P2X 7 are unable to fuse. Our findings suggest that the newly identified purinergic P2X 7 receptor plays a central role in the complex chain of events leading to generation of macrophage‐derived giant cells. J. Leukoc. Biol. 66: 723–726; 1999.