title: Everolimus as a new potential antiproliferative agent in aggressive human bronchial carcinoids.
abstract: Bronchial carcinoids (BCs) are rare tumors originating from endocrine cells dispersed in the respiratory epithelium. It has been previously demonstrated that everolimus, or RAD001, an mTOR inhibitor, has potent antiproliferative effects in human endocrine tumors. Our aim was to evaluate the possible antiproliferative effects of everolimus in human BCs in primary culture. We collected 24 BCs that were dispersed in primary cultures, treated without or with 1 nM-1 muM everolimus, 10 nM SOM230 (pasireotide, a somatostatin receptor multiligand), and/or 50 nM IGF1. Cell viability was evaluated after 48 h, and chromogranin A (CgA) as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion was assessed after 8 h incubation. Somatostatin receptors, mTOR, and AKT expression were investigated by quantitative PCR. We found that in 15 cultures (67.5%), everolimus significantly reduced cell viability (by approximately 30%; P<0.05 versus control), inhibited p70S6K activity (-30%), and blocked IGF1 proliferative effects. Everolimus also significantly reduced CgA (by approximately 20%) and VEGF (by approximately 15%) secretion. Cotreatment with SOM230 did not exert additive effects on cell viability and secretory activity. AKT expression was similar in responder and nonresponder tissues, while mTOR expression was significantly higher in the responder group, which was characterized by higher CgA plasma levels and bigger tumors with higher mitotic index and angiogenesis. Our data demonstrate that everolimus reduces VEGF secretion and cell viability in BCs with a mechanism likely involving IGF1 signaling, suggesting that it might represent a possible medical treatment for BCs.
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Advanced Therapies, University of Ferrara, Via Savonarola 9, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Zatelli
authors.forename: Mariella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minoia
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tagliati
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiavon
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buratto
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gentilin
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavallesco
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berdondini
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rea
authors.forename: Ettore C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: degli Uberti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D000068338:Everolimus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068338:Everolimus; C546842:MTOR protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D020123:Sirolimus