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Inhibition by neurotensin of azaserine‐induced carcinogenesis in rat pancreas
Author(s) -
Tatsuta Masaharu,
Iishi Hiroyasu,
Baba Miyako,
Nakaizumi Akihiko
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910470317
Subject(s) - azaserine , neurotensin , pancreas , endocrinology , medicine , parenchyma , carcinogenesis , cholecystokinin , pancreatic cancer , somatostatin , carcinogen , acinar cell , biology , pathology , neuropeptide , cancer , biochemistry , receptor , amino acid , glutamine
The effect of neurotensin on pancreatic carcinogenesis induced by azaserine was investigated in Wistar rats. Rats were given weekly injections of 10 mg/kg body weight of azaserine for 25 weeks and 200 μg/kg body weight of neurotensin in depot form every other day for 62 weeks. Carcinogen‐induced pancreatic lesions were examined by histochemical techniques, and were classified as ATPase‐positive or ATPase‐negative. In week 62, quantitative histological analysis showed that prolonged administration of neurotensin significantly reduced the volume (as percent of parenchyma) of ATPase‐positive pancreatic lesions, which are closely correlated with the ultimate development of pancreatic cancer. Histologically, pancreatic adenocarcinomas occurred at a significantly lower rate in rats treated with neurotensin than in untreated rats. Administration of neurotensin also significantly decreased the labelling indices of carcinogen‐induced pancreatic lesions, but not of the surrounding acinar cells. These findings indicate that neurotensin inhibits pancreatic carcinogenesis, and that this may be related to the reduction of ATPase‐positive lesions and to the inhibition of cell proliferation in neoplastic lesions of the pancreas.