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Updated: Dec 11, 2025

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P2X7 Receptor Promotes Mouse Mammary Cancer Cell Invasiveness and Tumour Progression, and Is a Target for Anticancer

Lucie Brisson1, Stéphanie Chadet2, Osbaldo Lopez-Charcas2

  • 1Inserm UMR1069-Nutrition, Growth and Cancer, University of Tours, 37032 Tours, France.

Cancers
|August 23, 2020
PubMed

Insights

The P2X7 receptor drives aggressive mammary cancer progression by promoting cell invasiveness and metastasis. Blocking this receptor with antagonists effectively reduced tumor growth in mouse models, highlighting its therapeutic potential.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • The P2X7 receptor's role in cancer progression is controversial, with potential pro- or anti-cancer effects.
  • Its specific function in mammary cancer remains undefined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the P2X7 receptor in mammary cancer progression.
  • To determine if P2X7 receptor is a viable therapeutic target for mammary cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Functional assays in aggressive mammary cancer cells.
  • In vitro invasion assays using 2D and 3D extracellular matrices.
  • In vivo studies using an immunocompetent mouse mammary cancer model.
  • Treatment with specific P2X7 receptor antagonists.

Main Results:

  • P2X7 receptor is functional in aggressive mammary cancer cells, inducing morphological changes and promoting invasiveness.
  • P2X7 receptor sustains Cdc42 activity and mesenchymal phenotype acquisition.
  • In vivo, P2X7 receptor expression in cancer cells promoted tumor growth and metastasis, which were reduced by antagonists.

Conclusions:

  • The P2X7 receptor actively drives mammary tumor progression and metastasis.
  • Targeting the P2X7 receptor with antagonists shows promise for mammary cancer treatment.
Keywords:
P2X7 receptorantagonistscancer cell invasivenessinvadopodiametastases

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