Nicotine effects on proliferation and the bombesin-like peptide autocrine system in human small cell lung carcinoma SHP77 cells in culture.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether nicotine affects the proliferation and expression of the bombesin-like peptide autocrine system in human small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) SHP77 cells compared with nonmalignant human bronchial epithelial BEAS 2B cells as non-neuroendocrine controls.


METHODS
Human lung cells were cultured in defined serum-free medium with various concentrations of nicotine added for various times. Proliferation was measured by cell counts and colorimetric assay, bombesin-like peptide receptor expression was assayed by specific binding assays and quantitative competitive PCR, and bombesin-like peptides determined by ELISA.


RESULTS
Nicotine significantly stimulated the growth of human SCLC SHP77 and NCI-H865 cells, but not BEAS 2B cells. Bombesin-like peptide receptor specific binding and mRNA expression were not affected by nicotine exposure in SHP77 cells or BEAS 2B cells. An increase in SHP77 cellular bombesin-like peptide content was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Human SCLC SHP77 cells express the components of the bombesin-like peptide autocrine system. Increased proliferation in the presence of nicotine may be due in part to increased levels of bombesin-like peptides in SHP77 cultured in nicotine. Nicotine effects on nonmalignant pulmonary neuroendocrine cells may provide additional insight into how nicotine itself may promote lung carcinogenesis.
Novak
J
J
Section of Medical Oncology, Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center 111F, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and University of Colorado Cancer Center, 1055 Clermont St., Denver, CO 80220, USA.
Escobedo-Morse
A
A
Kelley
K
K
Boose
D
D
Kautzman-Eades
D
D
Meyer
M
M
Kane
M A
MA
D001667:Binding, Competitive; D001839:Bombesin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin; D009538:Nicotine; D001839:Bombesin