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Abstract

Modulation of 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase expression by bombesin: A possible mechanism for glucocorticoid resistance in androgen independent prostate cancer (HTML) 
Lee,J.G.; Ge,Renshan; Hardy,Dianne O.; Leong,K.; Nanus,D.M.; Hardy,Matthew P.; Shen,R.
Hormone and Metabolic Research 40(11): 772-778
Publication date: 2008

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Treatment with glucocorticoids is one of a limited number of options for androgen independent prostate cancer. Neuroendocrine differentiation has been shown to contribute to androgen-independent prostate cancer progression. To study the potential link between neuroendocrine differentiation and the glucocorticoid action, we investigated the effects of the product of neuroendocrine differentiation - bombesin on glucocorticoid metabolizing enzymes - 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases in PC-3 cells. Our Western analysis, RT-PCR, and activity assays demonstrate that while 18-hour exposure to bombesin reduces 11ß-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenases-1 profiles (activities 25% less, protein level 29% lower, mRNA levels 45% lower), contrarily it increases 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases-2 profiles (activities 34%, protein levels 100%, mRNA levels 120%). Blockade bombesin action with bombesin receptor antagonists and the enzyme degrading bombesin prevented these changes, suggesting the observed modulations were bombesin receptor-specific. In addition, bombesin increased the amounts of interleukin-8 and mRNA of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, which were lowered in the presence of cortisol, suggesting that neuropeptide blockade may extend the benefits of glucocorticoids in treating androgen-independent prostate cancer.

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