Bombesin stimulates growth of colon cancer in mice and decreases their survival.
Bombesin (BBS) stimulates cellular proliferation of both normal and transformed cells. The mouse colon cancer cells (MC-26) possess specific binding sites for BBS. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the effect of chronic administration of BBS on in vivo growth of MC-26 tumours in Balb/c mice and on survival of tumour-bearing mice. Three groups of mice (n = 10 each) inoculated with MC-26 cells received either saline containing 0.1% bovine serum albumin (BSA), or BBS (5 micrograms kg-1 or 20 micrograms kg-1) dissolved with 0.1% BSA saline by intraperitoneal route three times a day for 15 days. BBS increased weight, DNA and RNA contents of MC-26 tumours. To examine the effect of BBS on survival rates of mice with MC-26 tumours, three groups of mice (n = 20 each) were treated for 31 days, as above. One group of mice inoculated with MC-26 cells received 0.1% BSA saline; the other group of MC-26-inoculated mice and the control group without tumour received BBS (5 micrograms kg-1) dissolved with 0.1% BSA saline. BBS significantly decreased the survival rate of mice bearing MC-26 tumours (median survival; saline group: 42.5 days, BBS group: 32.0 days, P = 0.037). None of the mice in the control group died during the experiment. BBS may stimulate in vivo growth of MC-26 cells through specific receptors.
Farre
A
A
Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555.
Ishizuka
J
J
Gomez
G
G
Parekh
D
D
Koo
J Y
JY
Townsend
C M
CM
Thompson
J C
JC
D000818:Animals; D001839:Bombesin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D001839:Bombesin