cholecystokinin and Brain-Neoplasms

Transcription factors contribute to the differentiation of cortical neurons, orchestrate specific interneuronal circuits, and define synaptic relationships. We have investigated neurons expressing chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor II (COUP-TFII), which plays a role in the migration of GABAergic neurons. Whole-cell, patch-clamp recording in vitro combined with colocalization of molecular cell markers in the adult cortex differentiates distinct interneurons. The majority of strongly COUP-TFII-expressing neurons were in layers I-III. Most calretinin (CR) and/or cholecystokinin- (CCK) and/or reelin-positive interneurons were also COUP-TFII-positive. CR-, CCK-, or reelin-positive neurons formed 80%, 20%, or 17% of COUP-TFII-positive interneurons, respectively. About half of COUP-TFII-/CCK-positive interneurons were CR-positive, a quarter of them reelin-positive, but none expressed both. Interneurons positive for COUP-TFII fired irregular, accommodating and adapting trains of action potentials (APs) and innervated mostly small dendritic shafts and rarely spines or somata. Paired recording showed that a calretinin-/COUP-TFII-positive interneuron elicited inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) in a reciprocally connected pyramidal cell. Calbindin, somatostatin, or parvalbumin-immunoreactive interneurons and most pyramidal cells express no immunohistochemically detectable COUP-TFII. In layers V and VI, some pyramidal cells expressed a low level of COUP-TFII in the nucleus. In conclusion, COUP-TFII is expressed in a diverse subset of GABAergic interneurons predominantly innervating small dendritic shafts originating from both interneurons and pyramidal cells.

Topics: Action Potentials; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Brain Neoplasms; Calbindins; Cholecystokinin; COUP Transcription Factor I; Female; GABAergic Neurons; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Parvalbumins; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Reelin Protein; Silver Staining; Somatostatin; Synaptic Potentials; Temporal Lobe; Young Adult

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant glioma. In the current study, 149 astrocytoma gene expression datasets were classified by prediction analysis of microarray. Strikingly, disks large homolog 3 (DLG3), a membrane-associated guanylate kinase-family gene, had the highest score in the GBM subset. DLG3 mRNA expression is significantly down-regulated in GBM relative to normal tissue and grade II or grade III astrocytoma according to the results of real-time polymerase chain reaction, and its protein expression shows an obvious difference by immunohistochemistry. Further assays show that DLG3 over-expression induces mitotic cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and it inhibits proliferation and migration. However, DLG3 over-expression has almost no affect on invasion. The DLG3 protein expression in human brain GBM tissue and its effects on GBM cell invasion were not expected. Our data suggest that DLG3 is down-regulated in this cancer type. To our knowledge, this is the first report to clearly demonstrate the possible involvement of DLG3 in GBM.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Apoptosis; Brain; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Cholecystokinin; Down-Regulation; Female; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Glioblastoma; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nuclear Proteins; Peptide Fragments; Retrospective Studies; Time Factors; Transcription Factors

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a gut-brain peptide has been described to be able to induce mitosis according to recent studies. Additionally, conflicting data has been published on whether tumours of the central and peripheral nervous system in general, and gliomas in particular, express CCK receptors. In the present in vitro study we employed reverse transcription followed by the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to investigate whether mRNA for CCK-A and CCK-B receptors as well as CCK peptide itself is present in primary human gliomas and the U-87 MG GBM cell line. The data show that 14/14 (100%) of the primary gliomas exhibited mRNA expression for the CCK peptide gene and the B receptor including the U-87 MG cells, whereas, only 2/14 (14%) showed presence of the CCK-A receptor. The presence of CCK receptors together with CCK peptide expression itself suggests presence of an autocrine loop controlling glioma cell growth. In support of this conclusion, a neutralizing antibody against the CCK peptide exhibited a dose dependent inhibition of cell growth whereas, antagonists to CCK caused a dose depend inhibition of exogenous stimulated glioma cell growth in vitro, via the CCK-B receptor which is PKC activated. Assessment of apoptosis and proteasome activity were undertaken and we report that treatment with CCK antagonists decreased proteasome and increased caspase-3 activity. These data indicate that CCK peptide and CCK-B are abundant in human gliomas and they act to stimulate cell growth in an autocrine manner, primarily via the high affinity CCK-B receptor, which was blocked by antagonists to CCK, perhaps via apoptosis.

Topics: Autocrine Communication; Brain Neoplasms; Caspase 3; Caspase Inhibitors; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Cholecystokinin; Cyclic AMP; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Glioma; Humans; Hydrolysis; Paracrine Communication; Phosphatidylinositols; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Receptors, Cholecystokinin; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Thymidine

Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Cholecystokinin; Glioblastoma; Humans; Receptors, Cholecystokinin

Gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK) are two major regulatory peptides synthesized by human gut and brain tissues as well as by selected tumors, in particular gastrin-producing neuroendocrine tumors. In the present study we have evaluated gastrin and CCK gene expression in a group of primary human tumors, including neuronal, renal, and myogenic stem cell tumors, using in situ hybridization techniques. In addition, CCK-A and CCK-B receptors were evaluated in the same group of tumors with receptor autoradiography. Most tumors had gastrin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA): 10 of 11 medulloblastomas, 5 of 5 central primitive neuroectodermal tumors, 11 of 11 Ewing sarcomas, 8 of 10 neuroblastomas, 4 of 4 Wilms' tumors, 5 of 5 rhabdomyosarcomas, and 10 of 10 leiomyosarcomas. CCK mRNA was restricted predominantly to Ewing sarcomas (9 of 11) and leiomyosarcomas (5 of 10). CCK-A and CCK-B receptors were not frequently found in these tumors, except for leiomyosarcomas. These data suggest that gastrin and CCK may play a previously unrecognized role in this group of human stem cell tumors. If the increased gastrin mRNA indeed translates into increased gastrin production, measurement of gastrinemia may have a diagnostic significance in the early detection of these tumors. As these two hormones have been reported to act as potent growth factors, they may be of pathophysiological relevance for patients with such stem cell tumors.

Topics: Blotting, Northern; Brain Neoplasms; Cholecystokinin; Gastrins; Humans; In Situ Hybridization; Kidney Neoplasms; Leiomyosarcoma; Medulloblastoma; Neuroblastoma; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive; Receptor, Cholecystokinin A; Receptor, Cholecystokinin B; Receptors, Cholecystokinin; Rhabdomyosarcoma; RNA, Messenger

Gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK) mediate their effects through at least two types of receptors (CCK receptors A and B). While it has been hypothesized that gastrin, a stimulator of gastric acid secretion, is also a neurotransmitter and a stimulator of cell proliferation in various normal and neoplastic tissues, its effect on astrocytic brain tumors has not been actively investigated.. Our goal was to determine the effects of gastrin and gastin and/or CCK antagonists on the proliferation in vitro of astrocytic tumor cells by use of both established cell lines and primary cell cultures of tumor tissue.. Ten established astrocytic tumor cell lines, SW1088, SW1783, Hs683, H4, U87, U118, U138, U373, T98G, and A172, were studied. The effects of added gastrin (at 0.01, 0.1, and microM) and the gastrin/CCK antagonists L-365,260, CI-988, L-364,718, and JMV 234 (each at 0.01, 0.1, and 1 microM) on the cellular proliferation rates of the 10 cell lines were indirectly measured by use of the colorimetric tetrazolium assay. The influence of gastrin (at 0.01 microM) on the cellular proliferation of primary cultures from nine freshly explanted astrocytic tumors was assessed by means of tritiated thymidine uptake and autoradiography.. At specific concentrations, added gastrin increased the cellular proliferation of three established astrocytic cell lines (A172, Hs683, and SW1088), decreased it in two (U373 and T98G), and was without effect on the remaining five. Gastrin decreased cellular proliferation in one primary astrocytic tumor cell culture, stimulated it in five, and had no apparent effect in the remaining three. L-365,260, a CCK receptor B antagonist used at 0.01 microM, increased cellular proliferation in seven cell lines (A172, H4, Hs683, SW1783, T98G, U118, and U138), decreased it in one (U87), and had no effect in the remaining two. CI-988, another CCK receptor B antagonist used at 0.01 microM, inhibited cellular proliferation in five cell lines (A172, H4, SW1783, U373, and U87), stimulated it in two (T98G and U138), and had no effect in three. The CCK receptor A antagonists L-364,718 and JMV 234, both used at 0.01 microM, affected the cellular proliferation of only three of the 10 cell lines.. These results suggest that gastrin (and perhaps CCK that belongs to the same peptide family) may play a role in the growth of a substantial proportion of human astrocytic tumors.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Astrocytoma; Autoradiography; Benzodiazepinones; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Division; Cholecystokinin; Devazepide; Gastrins; Hormone Antagonists; Humans; Indoles; Meglumine; Molecular Sequence Data; Peptide Fragments; Phenylurea Compounds; Receptors, Cholecystokinin; Sincalide; Thymidine; Tritium; Tumor Cells, Cultured

We have investigated the potential role of gastrin in the regulation of cell growth in human astrocytic tumors. To this end we have used synthetic analogs of gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK) which behave as gastrin and/or CCK antagonists, e.g. compounds JMV-97, JMV-209 and JMV-179. Their effects on astrocytic tumor cell proliferation was investigated by the use of the colorimetric MTT assay. The in vitro biological models used in the present study included the SW1088, U87 and U373 astrocytic tumor cell lines. The results demonstrated marked influence of gastrin and CCK antagonists in the regulation of astrocytic tumor growth. This suggests that gastrin and/or CCK antagonists might be tested in experimental glioblastoma.

Topics: Astrocytes; Astrocytoma; Brain Neoplasms; Cholecystokinin; Gastrins; Glioblastoma; Humans; Peptide Fragments; Sincalide; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Both the sulphated and non-sulphated forms of cholecystokinin (CCK) octapeptide are susceptible to hydrolysis by the cell-surface peptidases endopeptidase-24.11 (NEP), angiotensin converting enzyme and aminopeptidase N (AP-N). Indirect studies have previously implicated an elastase-like serine endopeptidase in CCK metabolism in brain. We have therefore compared the hydrolysis of CCK, in both sulphated and non-sulphated forms by solubilized membrane preparations from the human astrocytoma clone D384 and the neuroblastoma line SH-SY5Y. Selective peptidase inhibitors were used to elucidate the principal activities involved in CCK metabolism. In the glial cell line the hydrolysis of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8), sulphated or non-sulphated, was inhibited predominantly by the NEP inhibitor, phosphoramidon (PR). In contrast, in the neuroblastoma line, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) was seen to play a major role in metabolism of CCK-8 with a lesser effect attributable to NEP but with some differences between sulphated and non-sulphated forms reflecting the preference of ACE for CCK-8ns. In neither cell line was a significant effect of the serine peptidase inhibitor Dip-F seen on CCK metabolism arguing against the presence of a putative CCK-degrading serine peptidase in these cell lines. Both NEP and ACE remain as candidates for inactivation of CCK at the cell surface.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Aminopeptidases; Astrocytoma; Brain Neoplasms; CD13 Antigens; Cell Membrane; Cholecystokinin; Clone Cells; Endopeptidases; Humans; Hydrolysis; Molecular Sequence Data; Neprilysin; Neuroblastoma; Neuroglia; Neurons; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Biopsies of human cerebral cortex were fixed by immersion and immunostained for the detection of neuropeptides in neuronal cell bodies and axons. Four neuropeptides (neuropeptide Y, somatostatin, , substance P and cholecystokinin) were visualized in a series of adjacent sections. All populations of immunoreactive neurons had a morphology characteristic of interneurons, with variations in dendritic arborizations and laminar distribution. The cholecystokinin-immunoreactive neurons were most numerous in the supragranular layers, whereas neurons containing the other three peptides occurred mainly in infragranular layers, or even in neurons populating the subcortical white matter. Quantitatively, each population of neuropeptide-containing neurons accounted for 1.4-2.5% of the total neuronal population. The distribution of these neurons varied slightly between cytoarchitectonic divisions, with substance P- and somatostatin-immunoreactive neurons dominating in the temporal lobe and cholecystokinin-immunoreactive neurons in the frontal lobe. Neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive neurons dominated in the gray matter of the frontal half of the hemisphere and in the subcortical white matter of the caudal half of the hemisphere. Furthermore, co-existence of neuropeptide Y or substance P immunoreactivity within somatostatin-immunoreactive neurons could be demonstrated using double labeling immunofluorescence techniques. The axonal plexuses immunoreactive for neuropeptide Y, somatostatin, or substance P were distributed in all layers, with a strong predominance of horizontally oriented fibers in layer I, a moderate plexus of randomly oriented fibers in the supra- and infragranular layers, and a slightly weaker innervation of layer IV. Immunoreactive axons formed, in addition, complex terminal arbors, mostly in older subjects, suggesting that they resulted from an as yet undefined aging process. The present study underlines several aspects of the organization of the neuropeptide-containing neurons of the human cerebral cortex, which are of particular interest in the light of the involvement of these neurons in several neurodegenerative diseases.

Topics: Axons; Brain Neoplasms; Cerebral Cortex; Cholecystokinin; Frontal Lobe; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Neurons; Neuropeptide Y; Neuropeptides; Occipital Lobe; Parietal Lobe; Somatostatin; Substance P; Temporal Lobe