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Knockdown of Gastrin Promotes Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer Cells by Decreasing ROS Generation. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:5590037. [PMID: 33937399 PMCID: PMC8062189 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5590037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Overexpressed gastrin is reported to promote oncogenesis and development of gastric cancer by inhibiting apoptosis of cancer cells; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Our study is aimed at revealing the mechanism underlying the effect of gastrin on apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Gastrin-interfering cell line was constructed by stably transfecting gastrin-specific pshRNA plasmid to gastric cancer cell line BGC-823. Then, differentially expressed proteins between untreated BGC-823 and gastrin-interfering BGC-823 cell lines were detected by the iTRAQ technique. GO and KEGG analysis was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes that code these differentially expressed proteins. The Annexin V-FITC staining assay was used to detect gastric cancer cell apoptosis. The DCFH-DA fluorescent probe staining assay was used to measure intracellular ROS. Mitochondrial membrane potential was detected by flow cytometry. Western blot was used to analyze the mitochondria respiratory chain proteins and apoptosis-related proteins. A total of 107 differentially expressed proteins were identified by iTRAQ. GO and KEGG analysis showed that proteins coded by the corresponding differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the mitochondrial oxidative respiratory chain, and the expression of three proteins (COX17, COX5B, ATP5J) was upregulated. The three proteins with higher scores were verified by Western blot. The apoptosis rate of the gastrin knockdown cancer cell was significantly increased; meanwhile, gastrin knockdown leads to increase of membrane potential and decrease of intracellular ROS production. Additionally, Bax was significantly increased, whereas NF-κB-p65 and Bcl-2 were downregulated after knockdown of gastrin. Concomitantly, pretreatment with NAC reversed the effect of gastrin on the Bax and Bcl-2 expression. Gastrin promotes the production of ROS from mitochondria, activates NF-κB, and inhibits apoptosis via modulating the expression level of Bcl-2 and Bax.
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Hsu PC, Yang CT, Jablons DM, You L. The Crosstalk between Src and Hippo/YAP Signaling Pathways in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12061361. [PMID: 32466572 PMCID: PMC7352956 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The advancement of new therapies, including targeted therapies and immunotherapies, has improved the survival of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in the last decade. Some NSCLC patients still do not benefit from therapies or encounter progressive disease during the course of treatment because they have intrinsic resistance, acquired resistance, or lack a targetable driver mutation. More investigations on the molecular biology of NSCLC are needed to find useful biomarkers for current therapies and to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Src is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase protein that interacts with cell surface growth factor receptors and the intracellular signaling pathway to maintain cell survival tumorigenesis in NSCLC. The Yes-associated protein (YAP) is one of the main effectors of the Hippo pathway and has been identified as a promoter of drug resistance, cancer progression, and metastasis in NSCLC. Here, we review studies that have investigated the activation of YAP as mediated by Src kinases and demonstrate that Src regulates YAP through three main mechanisms: (1) direct phosphorylation; (2) the activation of pathways repressing Hippo kinases; and (3) Hippo-independent mechanisms. Further work should focus on the efficacy of Src inhibitors in inhibiting YAP activity in NSCLC. In addition, future efforts toward developing potentially reasonable combinations of therapy targeting the Src–YAP axis using other therapies, including targeted therapies and/or immunotherapies, are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Chih Hsu
- Department of Surgery, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA; (P.-C.H.); (D.M.J.)
- Division of Thoracic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
| | - Cheng-Ta Yang
- Division of Thoracic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
- Department of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - David M. Jablons
- Department of Surgery, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA; (P.-C.H.); (D.M.J.)
| | - Liang You
- Department of Surgery, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA; (P.-C.H.); (D.M.J.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-415-476-6906
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Osborne N, Sundseth R, Gay MD, Cao H, Tucker RD, Nadella S, Wang S, Liu X, Kroemer A, Sutton L, Cato A, Smith JP. Vaccine against gastrin, a polyclonal antibody stimulator, decreases pancreatic cancer metastases. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2019; 317:G682-G693. [PMID: 31433212 PMCID: PMC6879893 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00145.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Growth of pancreatic cancer is stimulated by gastrin in both a paracrine and an autocrine fashion. Traditional therapies have not significantly improved survival, and recently pancreatic cancer has been deemed a "cold" tumor due to its poor response to immunotherapy. Strategies to improve survival of pancreatic cancer are desperately needed. In the current investigation, we studied the effects of an anti-gastrin cancer vaccine, polyclonal antibody stimulator (PAS; formerly called G17DT and Gastrimmune), used alone or in combination with a programmed cell death receptor (PD)-1 immune checkpoint antibody on pancreatic cancer growth, metastases, and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Immune-competent female C57BL/6 mice bearing syngeneic orthotopic murine pancreatic cancer treated with PAS had significantly smaller tumors and fewer metastases. Examination of the TME demonstrated decreased fibrosis with fewer M2 and more M1 tumor-associated macrophages. Expression of the E-cadherin gene was significantly increased and expression of the TGFβR2 gene was decreased compared with controls. Mice treated with PAS or the combination of PAS and PD-1 antibody exhibited significantly less tumor expression of phospho-paxillin, the focal adhesion protein β-catenin, and matrix metalloproteinase-7. This study suggests that inhibition of the cancer-promoting effects of gastrin in pancreatic cancer can decrease metastases by altering the TME and decreasing pathways that activate the epithelial mesenchymal transition. The PAS vaccine appears to change the TME, making it more susceptible to therapy with an immune checkpoint antibody. This novel combination of two immunotherapies may improve survival of pancreatic cancer by decreasing both tumor growth and metastasis formation.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Survival from advanced pancreatic cancer is poor, in part due to dense fibrosis of the tumor microenvironment, increased number of M2-polarized macrophages that promote angiogenesis and invasion, and lack of "target-specific" therapy. Herein, we report that a tumor vaccine that selectively targets gastrin decreases pancreatic cancer growth and metastases. Furthermore, the gastrin vaccine polyclonal antibody stimulator alters the tumor microenvironment rendering it more responsive to immunotherapy with a programmed cell death receptor-1 immune checkpoint antibody.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Martha D Gay
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Hong Cao
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Robin D Tucker
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Sandeep Nadella
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Shangzi Wang
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Xunxian Liu
- The MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Alexander Kroemer
- The MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | | | | | - Jill P Smith
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
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He Z, Yu L, Luo S, Li Q, Huang S, An Y. RGS4 Regulates Proliferation And Apoptosis Of NSCLC Cells Via microRNA-16 And Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:8701-8714. [PMID: 31695428 PMCID: PMC6821062 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s221657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are GTPase-activating proteins that target the α-subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins. Many studies have shown that RGS proteins contribute to tumorigenesis and metastasis. However, the mechanism in which RGS proteins, especially RGS4, affect the development of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to characterize the role of RGS4 in NSCLC. METHODS RGS4 expression in NSCLC tissues was assessed using an immunohistochemistry tissue microarray. Additionally, RGS4 was knocked down using short-hairpin RNA to assess the regulatory function of RGS4 in the biological behaviors of human NSCLC cell lines. A xenograft lung cancer model in nude BALB/c mice was established to study whether RGS4 knockdown inhibits cancer cell proliferation in vivo. RESULTS We observed an increase in RGS4 protein levels in NSCLC samples. RGS4 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in H1299 and PC9 cell lines, but did not affect cell migration. Moreover, we found that RGS4 negatively regulated the expression of microRNA-16 (miR-16), a tumor suppressor. The inhibition of miR-16 resulted in upregulated RGS4 expression. We also found that RGS4 regulated the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and activated the BDNF-tropomyosin receptor kinase B signaling pathway. CONCLUSION This study revealed that RGS4 overexpression positively correlated with the development of NSCLC. TDownstream RGS4 targets (eg, miR-16 and BDNF) might be involved in the development of NSCLC and may serve as potential therapeutic targets for its treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng He
- Biotechnology Department, Beijing Center for Physical and Chemical Analysis, Beijing100094, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing100853, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lianhua Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Taizhou Municipal Hospital, Taizhou318000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shiyi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen361005, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing100091, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuhong Huang
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong250062, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yunhe An
- Biotechnology Department, Beijing Center for Physical and Chemical Analysis, Beijing100094, People’s Republic of China
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE The KRAS gene is the most frequently mutated gene in pancreatic cancer, and no successful anti-Ras therapy has been developed. Gastrin has been shown to stimulate pancreatic cancer in an autocrine fashion. We hypothesized that reactivation of the peptide gastrin collaborates with KRAS during pancreatic carcinogenesis. METHODS LSL-Kras; P48-Cre (KC) mutant KRAS transgenic mice were crossed with gastrin-KO (GKO) mice to develop GKO/KC mice. Pancreata were examined for 8 months for stage of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions, inflammation, fibrosis, gastrin peptide, and microRNA expression. Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias from mice were collected by laser capture microdissection and subjected to reverse-phase protein microarray, for gastrin and protein kinases associated with signal transduction. Gastrin mRNA was measured by RNAseq in human pancreatic cancer tissues and compared to that in normal pancreas. RESULTS In the absence of gastrin, PanIN progression, inflammation, and fibrosis were significantly decreased and signal transduction was reversed to the canonical pathway with decreased KRAS. Gastrin re-expression in the PanINs was mediated by miR-27a. Gastrin mRNA expression was significantly increased in human pancreatic cancer samples compared to normal human pancreas controls. CONCLUSIONS This study supports the mitogenic role of gastrin in activation of KRAS during pancreatic carcinogenesis.
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Bagheri A, Khorshid HRK, Tavallaie M, Mowla SJ, Sherafatian M, Rashidi M, Zargari M, Boroujeni ME, Hosseini SM. A panel of noncoding RNAs in non-small-cell lung cancer. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:8280-8290. [PMID: 30485511 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.28111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Non-small-lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer death. Early detection of NSCLC could pave the way for effective therapies. Analysis of molecular genetic biomarkers in biological fluids has been proposed as a useful tool for cancer diagnosis. Here, we aimed to develop a panel of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in sputum for NSCLC early detection. Expression of 11 ncRNAs were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction in sputum samples of 30 NSCLC patients and 30 sex- and age-matched cancer-free controls. Stability of endogenous microRNAs (miRNAs) in sputum was evaluated after 3 and 6 days at 4°C, 6 months, and 1 year at -80°C. Nine ncRNAs showed significant differences of their expression in sputum between NSCLC patients and controls. A logistic regression model with the best prediction was built based on miR-145, miR-126, and miR-7. The composite of the three miRNAs produced 90% sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing NSCLC patients from the controls. Results indicate that miRNAs could be useful biomarkers based on their stability under various storage conditions and maintain differential changes between cancer and control groups. Moreover, measurement of miRNAs in sputum could be a noninvasive approach for detection of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abouzar Bagheri
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry-Biophysics and Genetics, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | | | - Mahmood Tavallaie
- Human Genetic Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Javad Mowla
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masih Sherafatian
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Rashidi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mehryar Zargari
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry-Biophysics and Genetics, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahdi Eskandarian Boroujeni
- Department Of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medical Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sayed Mostafa Hosseini
- Human Genetic Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Liu B, Chen Y, Yang J. LncRNAs are altered in lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma. Oncotarget 2018; 8:24275-24291. [PMID: 27903974 PMCID: PMC5421846 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in pathogenesis of various cancers, including lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). We used cBioPortal to analyze lncRNA alteration frequencies and their ability to predict overall survival (OS) using 504 LUSC and 522 LUAD samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In LUSC, 624 lncRNAs had alteration rates > 1% and 64 > 10%. In LUAD 625 lncRNAs had alteration rates > 1% and 36 > 10%. Among those, 620 lncRNAs had alteration frequencies > 1% in both LUSC and LUAD, while 22 were LUSC-specific and 23 were LUAD-specific. Twenty lncRNAs had alteration frequencies > 10% in both LUSC and LUAD, while 44 were LUSC-specific and 16 were LUAD specific. Genome ontology and pathway analyses produced similar results for LUSC and LUAD. Two lncRNAs (IGF2BP2-AS1 and DGCR5) correlated with better OS in LUSC, and three (MIR31HG, CDKN2A-AS1 and LINC01600) predicted poor OS in LUAD. Chip-seq and luciferase reporter assays identified potential IGF2BP2-AS1, DGCR5 and LINC01600 promoters and enhancers. This study presented lncRNA landscapes and revealed differentially expressed, highly altered lncRNAs in LUSC and LUAD. LncRNAs that act as oncogenes and lncRNA-regulating transcription factors provide novel targets for anti-lung cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yifei Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiong Yang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Khan M, Huang T, Lin CY, Wu J, Fan BM, Bian ZX. Exploiting cancer's phenotypic guise against itself: targeting ectopically expressed peptide G-protein coupled receptors for lung cancer therapy. Oncotarget 2017; 8:104615-104637. [PMID: 29262666 PMCID: PMC5732832 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.18403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer, claiming millions of lives annually, has the highest mortality rate worldwide. This advocates the development of novel cancer therapies that are highly toxic for cancer cells but negligibly toxic for healthy cells. One of the effective treatments is targeting overexpressed surface receptors of cancer cells with receptor-specific drugs. The receptors-in-focus in the current review are the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are often overexpressed in various types of tumors. The peptide subfamily of GPCRs is the pivot of the current article owing to the high affinity and specificity to and of their cognate peptide ligands, and the proven efficacy of peptide-based therapeutics. The article summarizes various ectopically expressed peptide GPCRs in lung cancer, namely, Cholecystokinin-B/Gastrin receptor, the Bombesin receptor family, Bradykinin B1 and B2 receptors, Arginine vasopressin receptors 1a, 1b and 2, and the Somatostatin receptor type 2. The autocrine growth and pro-proliferative pathways they mediate, and the distinct tumor-inhibitory effects of somatostatin receptors are then discussed. The next section covers how these pathways may be influenced or 'corrected' through therapeutics (involving agonists and antagonists) targeting the overexpressed peptide GPCRs. The review proceeds on to Nano-scaled delivery platforms, which enclose chemotherapeutic agents and are decorated with peptide ligands on their external surface, as an effective means of targeting cancer cells. We conclude that targeting these overexpressed peptide GPCRs is potentially evolving as a highly promising form of lung cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahjabin Khan
- Laboratory of Brain-Gut Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, HKSAR, Kowloon Tong, P.R. China
| | - Tao Huang
- Laboratory of Brain-Gut Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, HKSAR, Kowloon Tong, P.R. China
| | - Cheng-Yuan Lin
- Laboratory of Brain-Gut Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, HKSAR, Kowloon Tong, P.R. China
- YMU-HKBU Joint Laboratory of Traditional Natural Medicine, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, P.R. China
| | - Jiang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Bao-Min Fan
- YMU-HKBU Joint Laboratory of Traditional Natural Medicine, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, P.R. China
| | - Zhao-Xiang Bian
- Laboratory of Brain-Gut Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, HKSAR, Kowloon Tong, P.R. China
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GPCRs and EGFR – Cross-talk of membrane receptors in cancer. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2017; 27:3611-3620. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Bardosi S, Bardosi A, Nagy Z, Reglodi D. Expression of PACAP and PAC1 Receptor in Normal Human Thyroid Gland and in Thyroid Papillary Carcinoma. J Mol Neurosci 2016; 60:171-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-016-0823-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Smith JP, Fonkoua LK, Moody TW. The Role of Gastrin and CCK Receptors in Pancreatic Cancer and other Malignancies. Int J Biol Sci 2016; 12:283-91. [PMID: 26929735 PMCID: PMC4753157 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.14952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal (GI) peptide gastrin is an important regulator of the release of gastric acid from the stomach parietal cells and it also plays an important role in growth of the gastrointestinal tract. It has become apparent that gastrin and its related peptide cholecystokinin (CCK) are also significantly involved with growth of GI cancers as well as other malignancies through activation of the cholecystokinin-B (CCK-B) receptor. Of interest, gastrin is expressed in the embryologic pancreas but not in the adult pancreas; however, gastrin becomes re-expressed in pancreatic cancer where it stimulates growth of this malignancy by an autocrine mechanism. Strategies to down-regulate gastrin or interfere with its interface with the CCK receptor with selective antibodies or receptor antagonists hold promise for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and other gastrin--responsive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill P Smith
- 1. Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Lionel K Fonkoua
- 2. Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Terry W Moody
- 3. National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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