Figure 1.
P2X7 is highly expressed in osteosarcoma and increases proliferation of HOS/MNNG and SAOS‐2 cells. (a) Immunohistochemical staining for P2X7 in normal bones (n = 2) and stage IV osteosarcomas (n = 10). Specimens included samples from 7 male and 3 female patients with osteoblastic and chondroblastic osteosarcoma (11–50 years‐of‐age). Normal bone samples were obtained from patients undergoing hip replacement for transcervical fracture. Scale = 3 × 3 × 3 cm3. Quantification of P2X7 (b) mRNA and (c) protein in human osteosarcoma cell lines, MG63, HOS/MNNG, SAOS2, SW1353 and U2OS, and human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (h‐BMSC) as control. Relative gene or protein expression was assayed by normalizing with GAPDH. HOS/MNNG and SAOS‐2 cell proliferation after 24, 48, and 72 h of treatment with (d) BzATP (5, 25 or 125 μM), (e) A740003 (5 μM) with or without BzATP (125 μM), and (f) lentiviral vectors with or without BzATP (125 μM) (n = 6). Proliferation rate was evaluated using CCK‐8 assay. Data are means ± SD of 6 or 3 independent experiments. *** p < 0.001, ** p < 0.01, * p < 0.05 vs. control. [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]