A bombesin receptor subtype-3 peptide increases nuclear oncogene expression in a MEK-1 dependent manner in human lung cancer cells.

A synthetic peptide, (D-Phe(6), beta-Ala(11), Phe(13), Nle(14))bombesin-(6-14) was used to investigate the signal transduction mechanisms of bombesin receptor subtype-3. Using NCI-1299#5 human lung cancer cells stably transfected with bombesin receptor subtype-3, 100 nM (D-Phe(6), beta-Ala(11), Phe(13), Nle(14))bombesin-(6-14) elevated the cytosolic Ca2+ from 150 to 250 nM within 10 s. Addition of (D-Phe(6), beta-Ala(11), Phe(13), Nle(14))bombesin-(6-14) caused phosphorylation of mitogen activated protein kinase in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The mitogen activated protein kinase phosphorylation caused by (D-Phe(6), beta-Ala(11), Phe(13), Nle(14))bombesin-(6-14) was inhibited by 2'-amino-3'-methyoxyflavone (PD98059), a mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (MEK-1) inhibitor. Using a luciferase reporter gene construct, (D-Phe(6), beta-Ala(11), Phe(13), Nle(14))bombesin-(6-14) caused Elk-1 activation after 10 min and the increase in Elk-1 activation caused by (D-Phe(6), beta-Ala(11), Phe(13), Nle(14))bombesin-(6-14) was inhibited by PD98059 as well as a dominant-negative MEK-1. (D-Phe(6), beta-Ala(11), Phe(13), Nle(14))bombesin-(6-14) caused increased c-fos as well as c-jun mRNAs 1 h after addition to NCI-H1299#5 cells. The 47-fold increase in c-fos mRNA caused by 100 nM (D-Phe(6), beta-Ala(11), Phe(13), Nle(14))bombesin-(6-14) was inhibited by PD98059, a dominant-negative MEK-1 and a substance P antagonist but not (3-phenylpropanoyl-D-Ala(24), Pro(26), Psi(26,27), Phe(27))GRP-(20-27) (BW2258U89), a GRP receptor antagonist. These results indicate that (D-Phe(6), beta-Ala(11), Phe(13), Nle(14))bombesin-(6-14) caused increased nuclear oncogene expression and upstream events include mitogen activated protein kinase phosphorylation and Elk-1 activation.