Neurotensin counteracts apoptosis in breast cancer cells.
Neurotensin (NT) is a neuropeptide interacting with specific G protein coupled receptors. In the periphery, NT is a hormone of the gastrointestinal tract. The high affinity neurotensin receptor (NT-1 receptor) is over-expressed in a numbers of cancers. Consequently NT growth effects, largely described in normal and adenocarcinomatous tissues, may be of a major importance in tumor proliferation. In this study we demonstrated an anti-apoptotic effect of NT agonist, in the mammary adenocarcinoma cells, MCF-7. Focusing on the cellular events involved, we found an increase in Bcl-2 protein and mRNA levels, resulting in Bcl-2 transcriptional activation, and dependent on MAP kinase pathway.
Somaï
Sonia
S
INSERM U339, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, 184 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris, France.
Gompel
Anne
A
Rostène
William
W
Forgez
Patricia
P
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000819:agonists / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D017931:DNA Primers; D009496:Neurotensin