AUTHOR=Demeules Mélanie , Scarpitta Allan , Abad Catalina , Gondé Henri , Hardet Romain , Pinto-Espinoza Carolina , Eichhoff Anna Marei , Schäfer Waldemar , Haag Friedrich , Koch-Nolte Friedrich , Adriouch Sahil TITLE=Evaluation of P2X7 Receptor Function in Tumor Contexts Using rAAV Vector and Nanobodies (AAVnano) JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology VOLUME=10 YEAR=2020 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2020.01699 DOI=10.3389/fonc.2020.01699 ISSN=2234-943X ABSTRACT=

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) represents a danger signal that accumulates in injured tissues, in inflammatory sites, and in the tumor microenvironment. Extracellular ATP is known to signal through plasma membrane receptors of the P2Y and P2X families. Among the P2X receptors, P2X7 has attracted increasing interest in the field of inflammation as well as in cancer. P2X7 is expressed by immune cells and by most malignant tumor cells where it plays a crucial yet complex role that remains to be clarified. P2X7 activity has been associated with production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulation of the activity and survival of immune cells, and the stimulation of proliferation and migratory properties of tumor cells. Hence, P2X7 plays an intricate role in the tumor microenvironment combining beneficial and detrimental effects that need to be further investigated. For this, we developed a novel methodology termed AAVnano based on the use of Adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV) encoding nanobodies targeting P2X7. We discuss here the advantages of this tool to study the different functions of P2X7 in cancer and other pathophysiological contexts.