Juan Pablo Huidobro

Investigación

Research:

Control of EGFR-dependent epithelial cell proliferation as anti-tumoral targets. Extracellular nucleotides, including ATP, UTP and metabolites (ADP) have been recognized as novel cell signals. Out of the 15 receptors that have affinity for nucleotides, eight of the identified nucleotide receptor subtypes are coupled to G proteins, including the widely expressed in epithelial and nervous tissue P2Y₁ and the P2Y₁₂ receptor which is relatively exclusive of platelets. Other 7 receptor subtypes belong to the ligand-gated membrane channels which are activated mainly by ATP. We recently described that cell released nucleotides act as strong and a constitutive mitogenic stimuli for epithelial and nerve cells via the P2Y₁ receptor which transactivates the EGF receptor. We also found that the ectopic expression of P2Y₁ receptor leads to the overexpression of the EGF receptor in MDCK epithelial cells.

Ovjetivs:

• P2Y₁/EGF receptor system in tumoral cell lines
• Autocrine role of ATP in HeLa cells
• Mechanism of extracellular secretion of nucleotides elicited by mechanical stimuli in Hela cells and other cell lines
• Putative role of P2Y₁/EGF receptors in human tumors