title: Inhibition of rat pituitary tumor cell proliferation by benzodiazepines in vitro.
abstract: The effect of various benzodiazepines (peripheral-type receptor ligands: Ro 5-4864, PK 11135; central-type receptor ligands: clonazepam, Ro 15-1788, Ro 15-4513; mixed type: diazepam) on the proliferation of estrogen-induced rat pituitary prolactin-secreting tumor cells was studied in vitro. [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA was used as an index of cell proliferation. It was found that tested peripheral- and mixed-type benzodiazepine receptor ligands significantly suppressed the pituitary cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (10(-4)-10(-8) M). The inhibitory effect of Ro 5-4864 was reversed by 5 x 10(-3) M calcium chloride. On the other hand, central-type benzodiazepine receptor ligands suppressed tumor cell proliferation only at the highest concentration studied (10(-4) M). Our results indicate that benzodiazepines might exert an antiproliferative action on pituitary tumor cell growth, and that this effect seems to be a calcium-dependent process.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology, University School of Medicine, Lódź, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kunert-Radek
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stepień
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pawlikowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008024:Ligands; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism; D013936:Thymidine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D008024:Ligands; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D013936:Thymidine