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Presence of receptors for bombesin/gastrin‐releasing peptide and mRNA for three receptor subtypes in human prostate cancers
Author(s) -
Sun Baodong,
Halmos Gabor,
Schally Andrew V.,
Wang Xiaofei,
Martinez Miriam
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
the prostate
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.295
H-Index - 123
eISSN - 1097-0045
pISSN - 0270-4137
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0045(20000301)42:4<295::aid-pros7>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - bombesin , gastrin releasing peptide , receptor , prostate cancer , autocrine signalling , endocrinology , medicine , biology , paracrine signalling , prostate , cancer research , cancer , neuropeptide
BACKGROUND Bombesin‐like peptides can function as autocrine or paracrine growth factors and stimulate the growth of some cancer cells, including human prostate cancer. Three bombesin receptor subtypes, termed gastrin‐releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), neuromedin B receptor (NMBR), and bombesin receptor subtype 3 (BRS‐3), have been identified in rodents and humans. METHODS We investigated the presence and characteristics of the functional receptors for bombesin/GRP in human prostate adenocarcinoma specimens by radio‐receptor assay and the mRNA expression of the three bombesin receptor subtypes by RT‐PCR. RESULTS Of the 80 specimens of primary prostate cancer examined by receptor binding assays, 50 (∼63%) showed high‐affinity, low‐capacity binding sites for bombesin/GRP, and 12 of these 50 receptor‐positive specimens also showed a second binding site. Of the 22 prostate cancer specimens analyzed by RT‐PCR, 20 (91%) expressed GRPR mRNA, 3 (14%) showed NMBR mRNA, and 2 (∼9%) revealed BRS‐3 mRNA. No correlation was observed between receptor expression and patients' age or pathological data. CONCLUSIONS The detection of a wide distribution of bombesin/GRP receptors in human prostate carcinomas supports the view that they may be involved in modulation of tumor progression and suggests that approaches based on binding of bombesin receptor antagonists or new targeted cytotoxic bombesin analogs to prostate cancers could be considered for the therapy. Prostate 42:295–303, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.