In summary, our studies in vitro strongly suggested that P2X7 played an important role in ATP-induced expression changes of EMT/invasion-related markers and subsequent enhancement of migration and invasiveness of prostate cancer cells, and P2X7 was required for ATP-mediated activation of PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and prostate carcinoma.