sincalide and Pituitary-Neoplasms

Desensitization of the cholecystokinin (CCK) octapeptide (CCK-8)-induced rise in intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was characterized in GH3 cells, a pituitary tumor cell line, which are known to possess CCKB receptor subtype. The CCK-8-induced [Ca2+]i transient was reduced following the initial application of CCK-8. A similar desensitization of the CCK-8-induced response was observed following the first application of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). By contrast, the TRH-induced response was not desensitized by the preceding application of CCK-8. Desensitization of the CCK-8-induced [Ca2+]i transient was associated with diminished inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation. The recovery of desensitization of the CCK-8-induced response was delayed by a phosphoserine/phosphothreonine phosphatase inhibitor, calyculin A (100 nM). The responsiveness to CCK-8 was also reduced by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), and this effect of PDBu was completely abolished by preincubation with staurosporine. Staurosporine significantly attenuated the desensitization caused by preincubation with CCK-8, but this effect was too small to attribute the desensitization to the protein kinase C transduction pathway alone. It is likely that desensitization of CCK receptors involves multiple transduction pathways.

Topics: Alkaloids; Calcium; Drug Tolerance; Enzyme Activation; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; Marine Toxins; Oxazoles; Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate; Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; Pituitary Neoplasms; Protein Kinase C; Receptors, Cholecystokinin; Sincalide; Staurosporine; Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The rat insulinoma RIN 5F and the mouse pituitary AtT-20 cell line, which are known to express several biologically active peptides, were found to express CCK mRNA, to correctly process, and to release immunoreactive cholecystokinin (CCK) peptides. They expressed low levels of these peptides (about 0.4 and 0.2 ng/mg protein, respectively) and both cell lines processed pro-CCK to a form which co-eluted with CCK 8 sulfate on Sephadex gel filtration chromatography and HPLC. The major CCK 8 immunoreactive peptide which they secreted co-eluted with CCK 8 on Sephadex G-50 chromatography. The secretion of CCK from both cell lines was significantly enhanced by treatment for 24 h with forskolin + IBMX (3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor). This treatment also doubled the CCK content of the AtT-20 cells. It appears that the ability of different endocrine tumor cells to express and process CCK is not as uncommon as previously thought. These cells should be useful for future studies of CCK expression, processing, and regulation of secretion.

Topics: 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; Animals; Blotting, Northern; Cholecystokinin; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Colforsin; Cyclic AMP; Gene Expression; Insulinoma; Mice; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Pituitary Neoplasms; Protein Precursors; Rats; RNA, Messenger; Sincalide; Tumor Cells, Cultured