P2X(7) receptor and polykarion formation.

Cell fusion is a central phenomenon during the immune response that leads to formation of large elements called multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) of common occurrence at sites of granulomatous inflammation. We have previously reported on the involvement in this event of a novel receptor expressed to high level by mononuclear phagocytes, the purinergic P2X(7) receptor. Herein, we show that blockade of this receptor by a specific monoclonal antibody prevents fusion in vitro. In contrast, cell fusion is stimulated by addition of enzymes that destroy extracellular ATP (i.e., apyrase or hexokinase). Experiments performed with phagocytes selected for high (P2X(7) hyper) or low (P2X(7) hypo) P2X(7) expression show that fusion only occurs between P2X(7) hyper/P2X(7) hyper and not between P2X(7) hyper/P2X(7) hypo or P2X(7) hypo/P2X(7) hypo. During MGCs formation we detected activation of caspase 3, an enzyme that is powerfully stimulated by P2X(7). Finally, we observed that during MGCs formation, the P2X(7) receptor is preferentially localized at sites of cell-to-cell contact. These findings support the hypothesis originally put forward by our group that the P2X(7) receptor participates in multinucleated giant cell formation.