Journal: Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Article Title: The P2X7 Receptor Promotes Intestinal Fibrosis by Modulating the Gut Microbiota and the Inflammasome
doi: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2025.101718
Figure Lengend Snippet: The colocalization of P2X7 ( red ) with α-SMA ( green ) was significantly greater in the samples from the patients with CD and UC than in those from the noninflamed controls (NL). ( A ). Nuclei are stained with DAPI ( blue ). The micrograph panels are representative of 8 control, 8 CD, and 8 UC mucosal samples (original magnification, ×1000). The scale bars represent 50 μm. The percentages of double-positive cells in the colonic lamina propria are individually represented ( A ). Intracellular calcium ([Ca 2+ ] i) levels were assessed in CCD-18Co cells after plating at 1 × 10 5 cells per well on 15 mm coverslips. Upon exposure to ATP, a transient rise in calcium is observed, returning to basal levels after ∼2 minutes. However, pre-incubation with LPS enhanced the calcium influx peak, followed by a slower return to baseline after ∼3 minutes ( B and C ). The micrograph panel is representative of 3 experiments for each condition ( D ). Next, pretreatment with the P2X7 receptor antagonist A740003 strongly inhibited the calcium influx observed in ATP-incubated cells ( E and F ). The micrograph panel is representative of 3 experiments for each condition ( G ). In another set of experiments, the relative intensity of P2X7 in the CCD-18Co cells subjected to different treatments was determined via confocal microscopy. Compared with the controls, P2X7 expression significantly increased after treatment with ATP (0.5 mM or 2 mM), LPS, IL-1b, with or without ATP (2 mM). In contrast, expression decreased after KN62 + ATP (2 mM) compared with LPS + ATP (2 mM). The micrograph panel is representative of 7 experiments for each condition. The scale bars represent 20 mm ( H ). The effects of different stimuli that activate P2X7 receptors on CCD-18Co migration were analyzed by light microscopy. Panels show images of migration from 0 to 24 hours into scratch sites following growth in medium containing vehicle or other stimuli. Compared with the KN62-treated cells, the BzATP-treated cells previously exposed to LPS, IL-1β, or TGF-β exhibited significantly increased migration. The scale bars represent 20 μm. The micrograph panel is representative of 4 experiments for each condition ( I ). Individual values are presented, along with their means and SDs. For comparing the means of 3 or more groups, the analyses were performed using Welch’s ANOVA test, followed by multiple comparisons using Dunnett’s T3 test. Paired samples t -test was used to determine differences in calcium influx experiments. Significant values are highlighted.
Article Snippet: Cells were continuously perfused with a fluorimetry solution and stimulated with 2 mM ATP (A2383, Sigma-Aldrich) or 100nM A740003 (3701, TOCRIS Bioscience).
Techniques: Staining, Control, Incubation, Confocal Microscopy, Expressing, Migration, Light Microscopy