Journal: Cells

Article Title: The P2X7 Receptor Stimulates IL-6 Release from Pancreatic Stellate Cells and Tocilizumab Prevents Activation of STAT3 in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

doi: 10.3390/cells10081928

Figure Lengend Snippet: Expression of P2X7R, PSC markers and calcium signals in mPSCs and hPSCs. ( a ) RT-PCR results with different pairs of primers for the P2X7R . ( b ) Representative blots of P2X7R (70 kDa) isoform A and the loading control β-actin. ( c ) Immunofluorescence detection of P2X7R and the PSC markers desmin, vimentin, GFAP and α-SMA. Image of mPSCs stained for desmin also shows less activated/quiescent cells with autofluorescent lipid droplets (arrow). Scale bar is 50 μm in all images. ( d ) Fura-2 ratio in PSCs after consecutive stimulation with 10 μM BzATP and 100 μM BzATP. The graph shows 5 representative cells out of 10–20 cells recorded per experiment, 6 experiments.

Article Snippet: In contrast, the number of PSCs isolated from the Pfizer P2X7R knockout mice was lower than in the wild-type mice (both on the C57BL/6J background) [ ].

Techniques: Expressing, Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction, Control, Immunofluorescence, Staining

Journal: Cells

Article Title: The P2X7 Receptor Stimulates IL-6 Release from Pancreatic Stellate Cells and Tocilizumab Prevents Activation of STAT3 in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

doi: 10.3390/cells10081928

Figure Lengend Snippet: Role of P2X7R in cell proliferation in ( a ) hPSCs and mPSCs from ( c ) P2X7R wt and ( d ) P2X7R P451L mice. Cells were treated with different concentrations of the agonist BzATP (0, 10, 100, 1000 μM) with/without 10 μM inhibitor AZ10606120 (AZ) or A438079 (A43) in 1% FBS. Data are normalized to the control value (CTR). We performed one-sample t -test followed by Bonferroni correction and significance compared to the control is indicated as follows: * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, **** p < 0.0001. Comparisons between agonist and agonist + inhibitor have been evaluated with t -test and significance is indicated by # p < 0.05, ### p < 0.001. ( b ) Number of PSCs isolated from the pancreas of either P2X7R wt or P2X7R P451L mice, p = 0.0059.

Article Snippet: In contrast, the number of PSCs isolated from the Pfizer P2X7R knockout mice was lower than in the wild-type mice (both on the C57BL/6J background) [ ].

Techniques: Control, Isolation