title: Expression and function of the ghrelin axis, including a novel preproghrelin isoform, in human breast cancer tissues and cell lines.
abstract: While oestrogen, progesterone and growth factors, including growth hormone (GH), are clearly implicated in the pathogenesis of breast cancer, there is now evidence that the newly described ghrelin axis is also involved. The aims of this study were to investigate the expression of the ghrelin axis in breast cancer tissues and cell lines and to examine the effect of ghrelin on breast cancer cell proliferation in vitro. Ghrelin and its functional receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) type 1a, were expressed in normal breast tissue and breast cancer specimens and cell lines. In contrast, the truncated GHSR type 1b isoform was exclusively expressed in breast carcinoma, suggesting that it has potential as a diagnostic marker. Ghrelin treatment significantly increases the proliferation of the MDA-MB-435 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines in vitro. In addition, we have described the expression of a human preproghrelin isoform, exon 3-deleted preproghrelin, which encodes mature ghrelin plus a novel C-terminal peptide. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to demonstrate that this mRNA isoform is highly expressed in the MDA-MB-435 metastatic breast cancer cell line relative to the benign MCF-10A breast epithelial cell line. The unique C-terminal peptide of exon 3-deleted preproghrelin is expressed in the glandular epithelium of breast cancer tissues, with high-grade carcinoma exhibiting the strongest immunoreactivity. The data presented here suggest that components of the ghrelin axis may represent novel markers for breast cancer and potential therapeutic targets.
authors.affiliation: Ghrelin Research Group, Hormone-dependent Cancer Programme, School of Life Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Herington
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Chopin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin; C508331:exon 3-deleted preproghrelin, human