title: Involvement of the purinergic P2X7 receptor in the formation of multinucleated giant cells.
abstract: Multinucleated giant cells (MGC), a hallmark of chronic inflammatory reactions, remain an enigma of cell biology. There is evidence implicating the purinergic P2X7 receptor in the fusion process leading to MGC. To investigate this, we used HEK 293 cells stably transfected with either 1) the full-length rat P2X7 receptor (P2X7 cells), 2) a rat P2X7 receptor lacking the C-terminal domain (P2X7TC), or 3) a mock vector, and rat alveolar macrophages (MA) expressing the native receptor. P2X7 cells cultured in serum-free medium formed increased numbers of MGC and displayed a higher fusion index compared with mock transfectants. Stimulation of P2X7 pore-forming activity in P2X7 cells by polymyxin B (PMB) further increased significantly the formation of MGC. Conversely, blockers of P2X-receptors including oxidized ATP, brilliant blue G, and pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2'-4'-disulfonic acid inhibited significantly MGC formation in both unstimulated and PMB-stimulated P2X7-transfected cells. In contrast, cells transfected with the truncated P2X7TC were devoid of pore-forming activity, did not respond to PMB stimulation, and failed to form enhanced numbers of MGC, thus behaving as mock transfectants. As found for P2X7-transfected cells, PMB also potentiated dose-dependently the formation of multinucleated MA by rat alveolar MA. Pretreatment with oxidized ATP abrogated the PMB stimulatory effects. Together, these data demonstrate unequivocally the participation of P2X7 receptor in the process of MGC formation. Our study also provides evidence suggesting that stimulation of the P2X7 receptor pathway in MA may mediate increased formation of MGC during chronic inflammatory reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. ilemaire@uottawa.ca
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lemaire
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falzoni
authors.forename: Natacha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leduc
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pellegatti
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Adinolfi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiozzi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Virgilio
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004357:Drug Synergism; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011112:Polymyxin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D006131:Growth Inhibitors; C546468:P2RX7 protein, human; C546470:P2rx7 protein, rat; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; C017199:2',3'-dialdehyde ATP; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D011112:Polymyxin B