title: Extraintestinal roles of bombesin-like peptides and their receptors:  lung.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Description of the recent findings of the biological roles of bombesin-like peptides and their receptors in lungs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) was involved in the airway inflammation in murine models of airway hyperreactivity. The circulating proGRP could serve as a valuable tumor marker for small-cell lung cancers, and the plasma level of proGRP is more stable compared with that of serum proGRP. Recent studies also shed light on the intracellular signaling pathways of bombesin receptor subtype-3 (BRS-3) activation in cultured human lung cancer cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relevant biology of BLPs and their receptors in lung cancers and other lung diseases still remains largely unknown. With the development of several highly specific BRS-3 agonists, recent studies provided some insights into the biological effects of BRS-3 in lungs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China. xiaoqun1988@xysm.net
authors.forename: Xiao-Qun
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Xiangping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001839:Bombesin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin; C107120:bombesin receptor subtype 3; D019886:Gastrin-Releasing Peptide; D001839:Bombesin