Regulatory T-cell sensing of extracellular ATP via P2RX7 promotes their accumulation and suppression and drives lung tumor growth.

ABSTRACT: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and, despite advances in treatment, immune suppression remains an obstacle to effective therapy. Effector CD4+ T cells (CD4+ Teffs) are critical for antitumor immunity, but their function is often inhibited by regulatory T cells (Tregs), which accumulate in lung tumors and mediate suppressive functions through multiple mechanisms. This suppression leads to tumor progression and poor patient outcomes. However, the mechanisms underlying Treg-mediated suppression are not fully understood. Herein, we identify the extracellular ATP receptor P2RX7 as a key regulator of Treg function in lung tumors. In a murine lung cancer model induced by Lewis lung carcinoma cells, we found that P2RX7 enhanced the suppressive capacity of tumor-

SUBMITTER: Santiago-Carvalho I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12927004 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature