Regulatory effect and mechanism of gastrin and its antagonists on colorectal carcinoma.

AIM:To explore the effect and mechanism of gastrin and its antagonists prog lumide and somatostatin on colorectal carcinoma and their clinical significance.
METHODS: A model of transplanted human colonic carcinoma was established from SW480 cell line in gymnomouse body.The volume and weight of transplanted carcinoma was observed under the effect of pentagatrin (PG), proglumide (PGL) and octapeptide somotostatin (SMS201-995, SMS). The cAMP content of carcinoma cell was determined by radioimmunoassay and the DNA, protein content and cell cycle were determined by flow-cytometry. The amount of viable cells was determined by MTT colorimetric analysis,IP(3) content was determined by radioimmunoassay, Ca(2+) concentration in cell by fluorometry and PKC activity by isotopic enzymolysis. The expression of gastrin, c-myc, c-fos and rasP21 in 48 cases of colorectal carcinoma tissue was detected by the immuno-cytochemistry SP method. Argyrophilia nucleolar organizer regions was determined with argyrophilia stain.
RESULTS: The volume,weight, cAMP, DNA and protein content in carcinoma cell, cell amount and proliferation index of S and G(2)M phase in PG group were all significantly higher than those of control group. When PG was at the concentration of 25mg/L, the amount of viable cells, IP(3) content and Ca(2+) concentration in cell and membrane PKC activity in PG group were significantly higher than those in control group; when PGL was at a concentration of 32mg/L, they dropped to the lowest level in PG (25mg/L)+PGL group, but without significant difference from the control group. The positive expression rate of gastrin, c-myc, c-fos and rasP21 in carcinoma tissue was 39.6%, 54.2%, 47.9% and 54.2% respectively and significantly higher than that in mucosa 3cm and 6cm adjacent to carcinoma tissue and normal colorectal mucosa. The positive expression rate of gastrin of highly differentiated adenocarcinoma group was significantly higher than that of poorly differentiated and mucinous adenocar-cinoma groups. The AgNORs count of carcinoma tissue was significantly higher than that in mucosa 3cm and 6cm adjacent to carcinoma tissue and normal colorectal mucosa; and the positive expression of c-myc and c-fos and the AgNORs count in gastrin-positive group was significantly higher than those in gastrin negative group.
CONCLUSION: Pentagastrin has a promoting effect on the growth of transplanted human colonic carcinoma from SW480 cell line. PGL has no obvious effect on the growth of human colonic carcinoma SW480 cell line, but could inhibit the growth promoting effect of PG on transplanted carcinoma. Somatostatin can not only inhibit the growth of transplanted human colonic carcinoma from SW480 cell line directly but also depress the growth-promoting effect of gastrin on the transplanted carcinoma. Some colorectal carcinoma cells can produce and secrete gastrin through autocrine, highly differentiated adenocarcinoma express the highest level gastrin.Endogenous gastrin can stimulate the cell division and proliferation of carcinoma cell and promote the growth of colorectal carcinoma regulating the expression of oncogene c-myc, c-fos. Our study has provided experimental basis for the adjuvant treatment using gastrin antagonist such as PGL, somatostatin of patients with colorectal carcinoma.