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Isorna I, González-Moles MÁ, Muñoz M, Esteban F. Substance P and Neurokinin-1 Receptor System in Thyroid Cancer: Potential Targets for New Molecular Therapies. J Clin Med 2023; 12:6409. [PMID: 37835053 PMCID: PMC10573850 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12196409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, numerous approaches have been developed to comprehend the molecular alterations underlying thyroid cancer (TC) oncogenesis and explore novel therapeutic strategies for TC. It is now well established that the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) is overexpressed in cancer cells and that NK-1R is essential for the viability of cancer cells. The binding of substance P (SP) to NK-1R in neoplastic cells plays a pivotal role in cancer progression by promoting neoplastic cell growth, protecting tumor cells from apoptosis, triggering invasion and metastasis through the enhanced migration of cancer cells, and stimulating endothelial cell proliferation for tumor angiogenesis. Remarkably, all types of human TC (papillary, follicular, medullary, anaplastic), as well as metastatic lesions, exhibit the overexpression of SP and NK-1R compared to the normal thyroid gland. TC cells synthesize and release SP, which exerts its multiple functions through autocrine, paracrine, intracrine, and neuroendocrine processes, including the regulation of tumor burden. Consequently, the secretion of SP from TC results in increased SP levels in plasma, which are significantly higher in TC patients compared to controls. Additionally, NK-1R antagonists have demonstrated a dose-dependent antitumor action. They impair cancer cell proliferation on one side and induce apoptosis of tumor cells on the other side. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that NK-1R antagonists inhibit neoplastic cell migration, thereby impairing both invasiveness and metastatic abilities, as well as angiogenesis. Given the consistent overexpression of NK-1R in all types of TC, targeting this receptor represents a promising therapeutic approach for TC. Therefore, NK-1R antagonists, such as the drug aprepitant, may represent novel drugs for TC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inmaculada Isorna
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio, 41013 Seville, Spain; (I.I.); (F.E.)
| | | | - Miguel Muñoz
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Francisco Esteban
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio, 41013 Seville, Spain; (I.I.); (F.E.)
- School of Medicine, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
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Robinson P, Rosso M, Muñoz M. Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists as a Potential Novel Therapeutic Option for Osteosarcoma Patients. J Clin Med 2023; 12:2135. [PMID: 36983138 PMCID: PMC10058854 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12062135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a bone tumor predominantly affecting children and adolescents with high malignant potential. It is a cause of serious public health challenges due to its high morbidity rates and metastatic potential. Metastasis in osteosarcoma may manifest either during treatment of the primary tumor, shortly after treatment, or a long time after the end of the treatment. So far, there are no therapeutics that can prevent or treat osteosarcoma metastasis. The peptide substance P (SP) and its high-affinity receptor, Neurokinin-1 (NK-1R), are known to positively correlate with osteosarcoma progression. Osteosarcoma cells overexpress NK-1R. SP is known to elicit the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells and induce angiogenesis and migration, leading to the invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. In contrast, NK-1R antagonists, such as aprepitant, inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells. Aprepitant is also known to inhibit the migration of osteosarcoma cells, as well as reduce the expression levels and activities of transcriptional regulators of metastasis-related genes such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). These preceding studies highlighted the antimetastatic role of aprepitant in osteosarcoma Moreover, combination therapy consisting of chemotherapy and NK-1R antagonist increases the chemosensitization of osteosarcoma cells. Interestingly, this combination therapy in vitro and in vivo decreases the severe side-effects of chemotherapy and produces neuroprotection, hepatoprotection, nephroprotection, and cardioprotection. In this review, we provide an update on existing data and suggest the need to repurpose aprepitant for use as an antitumor drug for treatment of osteosarcoma, and they suggest the need for phase I and II clinical trials for assessment of its safety/efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prema Robinson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Marisa Rosso
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Neonatology Unit, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - Miguel Muñoz
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, 41012 Seville, Spain
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Muñoz M, Rosso M, Coveñas R. Triple Negative Breast Cancer: How Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists Could Be Used as a New Therapeutic Approach. Mini Rev Med Chem 2020; 20:408-417. [PMID: 31721701 DOI: 10.2174/1389557519666191112152642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among females. BC cells not showing HER-2/Neu amplification and not expressing estrogen/ progesterone receptors are named triple-negative BC (TNBC) cells. TNBC represents 10-15% of all BC and is associated with an aggressive clinical course. TNBC patient prognosis, survival and response to current therapies are poor and for this reason, it is crucial to search for new therapeutic targets in TNBC to develop new therapeutic strategies. One of these targets is the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R). It is well known that the substance P (SP)/NK-1R system is involved in cancer progression. TNBC cells overexpress the NK-1R and, after binding to this receptor, SP promotes the proliferation/ migration of TNBC cells. Non-peptide NK-1R antagonists (e.g., aprepitant) are known to exert, via the NK-1R, an antitumor action; TNBC cells die by apoptosis. In this review, we update the data on a promising therapeutic innovation: the use of NK-1R antagonists for the treatment of TNBC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Muñoz
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Marisa Rosso
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Rafael Coveñas
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y Leon (INCYL), Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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The Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonist Aprepitant, a New Drug for the Treatment of Hematological Malignancies: Focus on Acute Myeloid Leukemia. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9061659. [PMID: 32492831 PMCID: PMC7355887 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9061659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy. To treat the disease successfully, new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. One of these strategies can be the use of neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) antagonists (e.g., aprepitant), because the substance P (SP)/NK-1R system is involved in cancer progression, including AML. AML patients show an up-regulation of the NK-1R mRNA expression; human AML cell lines show immunoreactivity for both SP and the NK-1R (it is overexpressed: the truncated isoform is more expressed than the full-length form) and, via this receptor, SP and NK-1R antagonists (aprepitant, in a concentration-dependent manner) respectively exert a proliferative action or an antileukemic effect (apoptotic mechanisms are triggered by promoting oxidative stress via mitochondrial Ca++ overload). Aprepitant inhibits the formation of AML cell colonies and, in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs, is more effective in inducing cytotoxic effects and AML cell growth blockade. NK-1R antagonists also exert an antinociceptive effect in myeloid leukemia-induced bone pain. The antitumor effect of aprepitant is diminished when the NF-κB pathway is overactivated and the damage induced by aprepitant in cancer cells is higher than that exerted in non-cancer cells. Thus, the SP/NK-1R system is involved in AML, and aprepitant is a promising antitumor strategy against this hematological malignancy. In this review, the involvement of this system in solid and non-solid tumors (in particular in AML) is updated and the use of aprepitant as an anti-leukemic strategy for the treatment of AML is also mentioned (a dose of aprepitant (>20 mg/kg/day) for a period of time according to the response to treatment is suggested). Aprepitant is currently used in clinical practice as an anti-nausea medication.
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Isorna I, Esteban F, Solanellas J, Coveñas R, Muñoz M. The substance P and neurokinin-1 receptor system in human thyroid cancer: an immunohistochemical study. Eur J Histochem 2020; 64. [PMID: 32363847 PMCID: PMC7196935 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2020.3117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
To develop a new therapeutic strategy against thyroid cancer (TC), the expression of both substance P (SP) and neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) must be demonstrated in TC cells. This study aims to examine by immunohistochemistry, the localization of SP and the NK-1R in human TC samples (papillary, follicular, medullary, anaplastic), in metastasis and in healthy thyroid samples. SP and the NK-1R were expressed in all normal and TC samples. In healthy glands, SP was located in follicular cells (nucleus) and colloid and NK-1R in follicular cells (cytoplasm) and stroma. In TC samples, SP was visualized in follicular cells (nucleus and cytoplasm), stroma and colloid and NK-1R in follicular cells (cytoplasm), stroma and colloid. A semiquantitative scoring system (Allred Unit Scoring System) was applied. The expression (Allred total score) of SP and NK-1R was weaker in normal thyroid glands than in TC. In comparison with TC samples, a lower intensity/proportion of SP (nucleus and cytoplasm of follicular cells; stroma) was observed in normal samples. By contrast, in the colloid of TC samples the presence of SP was lower than in normal samples. In comparison with TC samples, the presence of the NK-1R in the cytoplasm of follicular cells and colloid was lower in normal thyroid samples, whereas the expression of this receptor in the stroma was higher. The results reported in this study suggest that the NK-1R could be a new target for the treatment of TC and use of the NK-1R antagonists could serve as a new anti-TC therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inmaculada Isorna
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Virgen del Rocio University Hospital, Seville.
| | - Francisco Esteban
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Virgen del Rocio University Hospital, Seville.
| | - Juan Solanellas
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nuestra Señora de Valme University Hospital, Seville.
| | - Rafael Coveñas
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León (INCYL), Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems, University of Salamanca.
| | - Miguel Muñoz
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital (IBIS), Seville.
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Muñoz M, Coveñas R. Glioma and Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists: A New Therapeutic Approach. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2019; 19:92-100. [PMID: 29692265 DOI: 10.2174/1871520618666180420165401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2017] [Revised: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In adults, the most lethal and frequent primary brain tumor is glioblastoma. Despite multimodal aggressive therapies, the median survival time after diagnosis is around 15 months. In part, this is due to the blood-brain barrier that restricts common treatments (e.g., chemotherapy). Unfortunately, glioma recurs in 90% of patients. New therapeutic strategies against glioma are urgently required. Substance P (SP), through the neurokinin (NK)-1 receptor, controls cancer cell proliferation by activating c-myc, mitogenactivated protein kinases, activator protein 1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2. Glioma cells overexpress NK-1 receptors when compared with normal cells. The NK-1 receptor/SP system regulates the proliferation/migration of glioma cells and stimulates angiogenesis, triggering inflammation which contributes to glioma progression. In glioma cells, SP favors glycogen breakdown, essential for glycolysis. By contrast, in glioma, NK-1 receptor antagonists block the proliferation of tumor cells and the breakdown of glycogen and also promote the death (apoptosis) of these cells. These antagonists also inhibit angiogenesis and exert antimetastatic and anti-inflammatory actions. OBJECTIVE This review updates the involvement of the NK-1 receptor/SP system in the development of glioma and the potential clinical application of NK-1 receptor antagonists as antiglioma agents. CONCLUSION The NK-1 receptor plays a crucial role in glioma and NK-1 receptor antagonists could be used as anti-glioma drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Muñoz
- Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Seville, Spain
| | - Rafael Coveñas
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León (INCYL), Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic, Systems (Lab. 14), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists against Hepatoblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11091258. [PMID: 31466222 PMCID: PMC6770178 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11091258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common malignant liver tumor that occurs during childhood. The prognosis of children with HB is favorable when a complete surgical resection of the tumor is possible, but for high-risk patients, the prognosis is much worse. New anti-HB strategies must be urgently developed. The undecapeptide substance P (SP) after binding to the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), regulates cancer cell proliferation, exerts an antiapoptotic effect, induces cell migration for invasion/metastasis, and triggers endothelial cell proliferation for neoangiogenesis. HB samples and cell lines overexpress NK-1R (the truncated form) and SP elicits HB cell proliferation. One of these strategies could be the use of non-peptide NK-1R antagonists. These antagonists exert, in a concentration-dependent manner, an antiproliferative action against HB cells (inhibit cell proliferation and induce the death of HB cells by apoptosis). NK-1R antagonists exerted a dual effect in HB: Decreased both tumor volume and angiogenic activity. Thus, the SP/NK-1R system is an important target in the HB treatment and NK-1R antagonists could act as specific drugs against HB cells. In this review, we update and discuss the use of NK-1R antagonists in the treatment of HB.
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Muñoz M, Crespo JC, Crespo JP, Coveñas R. Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist aprepitant and radiotherapy, a successful combination therapy in a patient with lung cancer: A case report. Mol Clin Oncol 2019; 11:50-54. [PMID: 31289677 PMCID: PMC6543768 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2019.1857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer death and is responsible for more than one-quarter (27%) of all cancer deaths. Non-small-cell LC (NSCLC) is the main histological subtype of LC and is the leading cause of mortalities associated with cancer. This case report focused on a patient showing a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with a NSCLC squamous cell carcinoma (single mass with a diameter of 8×7 cm, without metastasis). Due to the COPD, neither a surgical treatment (pneumonectomy) nor chemotherapy was possible. After 15 days following the diagnosis, the patient was treated for 45 days with radiotherapy and the neurokinin-1 receptor, aprepitant (compassionate use, 1,140 mg/day). Radiotherapy was administered to the right lung and mediastinum, reaching 50.4 Gy and then overprinted to 65 Gy. In each successive control, the tumor volume decreased and, after 6 months of treatment, the chest computed tomography scan showed that the tumor mass had disappeared. No side-effects were observed during the combination therapy; in contrast, the patient was in very good general health with a weight gain and showing no biochemical analytical alteration. This case report suggests a witness episode to the antitumor effect of aprepitant/radiotherapy against NSCLC. Urgent development is required for clinical trials to test the combination treatment (radiotherapy and aprepitant) as an antitumor therapy for patients with LC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Muñoz
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Crespo
- Department of Pharmacology, Pediatric and Radiology, University of Sevilla, 41009 Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Rafael Coveñas
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León (INCYL), Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems (Lab. 14), University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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Muñoz M, Rosso M, Carranza A, Coveñas R. Increased nuclear localization of substance P in human gastric tumor cells. Acta Histochem 2017; 119:337-342. [PMID: 28325510 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2017.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is an aggressive disease that remains the fourth most common type of cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Treatment of advanced or metastatic GC has seen little progress and median overall survival in this group remains <1 year. It is urgent to investigate new mechanisms to understand GC progression. It is known that substance P (SP), after binding to the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor, elicits GC proliferation; that GC cells and samples express NK-1 receptors; that NK-1 receptor antagonists, in a concentration dependent manner, inhibit the proliferation of GC cells and that these cells die by apoptosis. However, the presence of SP in GC and normal gastric cells is unknown. In order to know more on the involvement of the SP/NK-1 receptor system in GC, we studied in thirty human GC and normal gastric samples the immunolocalization of SP after using an immunohistochemical technique. SP was observed in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus of GC and normal gastric cells. The nuclear expression of SP was higher in GC cells than in normal cells. No significant difference was observed when the cytoplasmatic expression of SP in normal and GC cells was compared. The findings suggest that SP plays an important role in both nuclear function and GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Muñoz
- Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Marisa Rosso
- Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Andrés Carranza
- Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Rafael Coveñas
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León (INCYL), Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems (Lab. 14), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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Muñoz M, Coveñas R. Targeting NK-1 Receptors to Prevent and Treat Pancreatic Cancer: a New Therapeutic Approach. Cancers (Basel) 2015; 7:1215-32. [PMID: 26154566 PMCID: PMC4586765 DOI: 10.3390/cancers7030832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 06/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer related-deaths in both men and women, and the 1- and 5-year relative survival rates are 25% and 6%, respectively. It is known that smoking, alcoholism and psychological stress are risk factors that can promote PC and increase PC progression. To date, the prevention of PC is crucial because there is no curative treatment. After binding to the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor (a receptor coupled to the stimulatory G-protein Gαs that activates adenylate cyclase), the peptide substance P (SP)-at high concentrations-is involved in many pathophysiological functions, such as depression, smoking, alcoholism, chronic inflammation and cancer. It is known that PC cells and samples express NK-1 receptors; that the NK-1 receptor is overexpressed in PC cells in comparison with non-tumor cells, and that nanomolar concentrations of SP induce PC cell proliferation. By contrast, NK-1 receptor antagonists exert antidepressive, anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory effects and anti-alcohol addiction. These antagonists also exert An antitumor action since in vitro they inhibit PC cell proliferation (PC cells death by apoptosis), and in a xenograft PC mouse model they exert both antitumor and anti-angiogenic actions. NK-1 receptor antagonists could be used for the treatment of PC and hence the NK-1 receptor could be a new promising therapeutic target in PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Muñoz
- Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital,41013 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Rafael Coveñas
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic System (Lab. 14), Institute of Neurosciences ofCastilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain.
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Muñoz M, Coveñas R, Esteban F, Redondo M. The substance P/NK-1 receptor system: NK-1 receptor antagonists as anti-cancer drugs. J Biosci 2015; 40:441-63. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-015-9530-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Dong J, Feng F, Xu G, Zhang H, Hong L, Yang J. Elevated SP/NK-1R in esophageal carcinoma promotes esophageal carcinoma cell proliferation and migration. Gene 2015; 560:205-10. [PMID: 25659767 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2015.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2014] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains one of the most lethal malignant tumors, and currently there is no effective ways to manage the late stage disease. Therefore clarifying the mechanisms underlying the development of ESCC is of great importance to develop novel therapeutic agents. The present study focuses on the interaction between neurotransmitter substance P (SP) together with its receptor NK-1R and ESCC progression. METHODS The distribution of SP positive nerve fibers and expression of NK-1R were detected in ESCC tissue using immunohistochemistry. The effects of SP stimulation and blocking on the growth and migration of ESCC cells were measured by in vitro and in vivo assay. RESULTS A higher density of SP positive nerve fibers and elevated NK-1R expression on ESCC cells were observed. More importantly, the SP positive fiber density was correlated with tumor size and lymph node metastasis. SP promoted ESCC cell proliferation and migration by modulation of intracellular calcium levels. CONCLUSION NK-1R activation by SP stimulation promotes growth and migration of ESCC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqiang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University of China, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Fan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University of China, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Guanghui Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University of China, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University of China, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Liu Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University of China, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jianjun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University of China, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China.
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Muñoz M, Coveñas R. Involvement of substance P and the NK-1 receptor in pancreatic cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20:2321-2334. [PMID: 24605029 PMCID: PMC3942835 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i9.2321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2013] [Revised: 12/23/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer related-death for both men and women and the 1- and 5-year relative survival rates are 25% and 6%, respectively. Thus, it is urgent to investigate new antitumor drugs to improve the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. The peptide substance P (SP) has a widespread distribution throughout the body. After binding to the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor, SP regulates biological functions related to cancer, such as tumor cell proliferation, neoangiogenesis, the migration of tumor cells for invasion, infiltration and metastasis, and it exerts an antiapoptotic effects on tumor cells. It is known that the SP/NK-1 receptor system is involved in pancreatic cancer progression: (1) pancreatic cancer cells and samples express NK-1 receptors; (2) the NK-1 receptor is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells in comparison with non-tumor cells; (3) nanomolar concentrations of SP induce pancreatic cancer cell proliferation; (4) NK-1 receptor antagonists inhibit pancreatic cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner, at a certain concentration, these antagonists inhibit 100% of tumor cells; (5) this antitumor action is mediated through the NK-1 receptor, and tumor cells die by apoptosis; and (6) NK-1 receptor antagonists inhibit angiogenesis in pancreatic cancer xenografts. All these data suggest that the SP/NK-1 receptor system could play an important role in the development of pancreatic cancer; that the NK-1 receptor could be a new promising therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer, and that NK-1 receptor antagonists could improve the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Muñoz M, Coveñas R. Involvement of substance P and the NK-1 receptor in cancer progression. Peptides 2013; 48:1-9. [PMID: 23933301 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2013.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Revised: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Many data suggest the deep involvement of the substance P (SP)/neurokinin (NK)-1 receptor system in cancer: (1) Tumor cells express SP, NK-1 receptors and mRNA for the tachykinin NK-1 receptor; (2) Several isoforms of the NK-1 receptor are expressed in tumor cells; (3) the NK-1 receptor is involved in the viability of tumor cells; (4) NK-1 receptors are overexpressed in tumor cells in comparison with normal ones and malignant tissues express more NK-1 receptors than benign tissues; (5) Tumor cells expressing the most malignant phenotypes show an increased percentage of NK-1 receptor expression; (6) The expression of preprotachykinin A is increased in tumor cells in comparison with the levels found in normal cells; (7) SP induces the proliferation and migration of tumor cells and stimulates angiogenesis by increasing the proliferation of endothelial cells; (8) NK-1 receptor antagonists elicit the inhibition of tumor cell growth; (9) The specific antitumor action of NK-1 receptor antagonists on tumor cells occurs through the NK-1 receptor; (10) Tumor cell death is due to apoptosis; (11) NK-1 receptor antagonists inhibit the migration of tumor cells and neoangiogenesis. The NK-1 receptor is a therapeutic target in cancer and NK-1 receptor antagonists could be considered as broad-spectrum antitumor drugs for the treatment of cancer. It seems that a common mechanism for cancer cell proliferation mediated by SP and the NK-1 receptor is triggered, as well as a common mechanism exerted by NK-1 receptor antagonists on tumor cells, i.e. apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Muñoz
- Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Sevilla, Spain.
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Muñoz M, Rosso M, Pérez A, Coveñas R, Rosso R, Zamarriego C, Piruat JI. The NK1 receptor is involved in the antitumoural action of L-733,060 and in the mitogenic action of substance P on neuroblastoma and glioma cell lines. Neuropeptides 2005; 39:427-32. [PMID: 15939468 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2005.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2004] [Revised: 03/08/2005] [Accepted: 03/15/2005] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
We have carried out an in vitro study to investigate the ability of substance P to activate cell growth and the NK1 receptor antagonist L-733,060 to inhibit cell growth in the SKN-BE(2) neuroblastoma and GAMG glioma cell lines. A coulter counter was used to determine viable cell numbers, followed by application of the tetrazolium compound [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium], inner salt, colorimetric method to evaluate cell viability in this cytotoxicity assay. Nanomolar concentrations of substance P increased, and micromolar concentrations of L-733,060 inhibited the growth of both cell lines studied, with and without previous administration of substance P. In addition, we have demonstrated by immunoblot analysis that NK1 receptors are present in both cancer cell lines studied here. Thus, this study demonstrates that substance P acts as a mitogen in the SKN-BE(2) neuroblastoma and GAMG glioma cell lines, and that the antitumoural action of L-733,060 on both human cell lines occurs through the NK1 receptor. This action suggests that the NK1 receptor is a new and promising target in the treatment of human neuroblastoma and glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Muñoz
- Hospital Infantil Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos, Av. Manuel Siurot s/n, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
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