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editorial
. 2015 Aug 30;2(8):673–674. doi: 10.18632/oncoscience.230

Figure 1. Differential roles of adenosine nucleotides in cancer growth and metastasis.

Figure 1

ATP released by normal cells (osteocytes] binds to the P2X7 receptor and inhibits breast cancer growth, migration and bone metastasis. ATP is unstable and hydrolyzed by ecto-ATPase's, i.e., CD39 and CD73 produced by breast cancer cells. Extracellular ATP is hydrolyzed to ADP and AMP by CD39, and AMP to adenosine by CD73. Adenosine binding to the A2A receptor, which instead promotes cancer cell growth, migration and metastasis.