title: ATP receptors and giant cell formation.
abstract: We have investigated the role of the purinergic P2X7 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 P2X7-selective pharmacological antagonist or by a mAb directed against the extracellular P2X7 domain. Furthermore, macrophage cell clones expressing high P2X7 levels spontaneously fuse in culture, whereas macrophage clones lacking P2X7 are unable to fuse. Our findings suggest that the newly identified purinergic P2X7 receptor plays a central role in the complex chain of events leading to generation of macrophage-derived giant cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, and Center of Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Italy. FDV@dns.unife.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Virgilio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falzoni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiozzi
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Buell
mesh_terms: D015726:Giant Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006593:Hexokinase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000502:physiology*; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7
chemical_list: C546468:P2RX7 protein, human; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; D006593:Hexokinase