Effect of ghrelin on the apoptotic deletion rate of different types of cells cultured in vitro.
Evidence indicates that ghrelin, an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, controls the growth of several human and rat cell types cultured in vitro. Hence, we have investigated, by using both TUNEL and ELISA assays, the effects of 10(-8) M ghrelin on the basal apoptotic deletion rate of rat osteoblasts and thymocytes, rat and human adrenocortical cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and human aldosteronoma cells cultured in vitro, as well as of the human adrenocortical carcinoma-derived cell lines NCI-H295 and SW-13. Both assays consistently showed that ghrelin did not affect apoptotic rate of normal rat and human cells, but significantly enhanced apoptotic deletion in aldosteronoma, NCI-H295 and SW-13 cell cultures. Due to the central role of apoptosis in the control of tumor growth, these findings, if confirmed in other tumor cell types, could suggest an antitumoral action of ghrelin.
Belloni
Anna S
AS
Departmen of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Section of Anatomy, University of Padua, I-35121 Padua, Italy.
Macchi
Carlo
C
Rebuffat
Piera
P
Conconi
Maria Teresa
MT
Malendowicz
Ludwik K
LK
Parnigotto
Pier Paolo
PP
Nussdorfer
Gastone G
GG
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones