Pancreatic cancer cells require an EGF receptor-mediated autocrine pathway for proliferation in serum-free conditions.

In-vitro and in-vivo studies have shown that autocrine growth factors and receptors are frequently expressed in human malignancies. Few of these studies, however, provide evidence that the identified autocrine pathway is functional. In this study, a functional autocrine growth pathway in pancreatic cancer has been identified using an in-vitro cell culture system. When pancreatic cancer cells were grown without change of medium, proliferation was greater than when either medium was replaced frequently (HPAF, CAPAN-2, PANC-1 or SW1990) or cells were grown in the presence of the EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG1478 or the MEK inhibitor PD098059 (HPAF or CAPAN-2). Activity of extracellular-regulated kinases (ERK) 1 and 2 and c- jun and c- fos mRNA levels were significantly elevated in CAPAN-2 cells cultured continuously in serum-free medium. Collectively, the observations indicate that the EGF receptor and the ERK MAP kinase pathway mediate autocrine signals. In contrast to previous reports, the GRP and IGF-I receptors were shown not to be required for autocrine effects on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. Autocrine stimulation of the EGF receptor can contribute to sustained mitogenic activity and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells.

Tritiated kappa receptor antagonist norbinal torphimine: synthesis and in vitro binding in three different tissues.

Recently a new antagonist with high selectivity for the kappa receptors (norbinaltorphimine) was developed and tested in various systems. This compound was radiolabelled with tritium resulting in high specific radioactivity (47.2 Ci/mmol). [3H]Norbinaltorphimine was characterized by in vitro radioligand binding assays. The radioligand binds to kappa-opioid receptors with a high potency and selectivity in guinea pig, frog and rat brain membranes. Our results suggest the kappa1 specificity of the radioligand.

Mu-opioid receptor specific antagonist cyprodime: characterization by in vitro radioligand and [35S]GTPgammaS binding assays.

The use of compounds with high selectivity for each opioid receptor (mu, delta and kappa) is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of opioid actions. Until recently non-peptide mu-opioid receptor selective antagonists were not available. However, N-cyclopropylmethyl-4,14-dimethoxy-morphinan-6-one (cyprodime) has shown a very high selectivity for mu-opioid receptor in in vivo bioassays. This compound also exhibited a higher affinity for mu-opioid receptor than for delta- and kappa-opioid receptors in binding assays in brain membranes, although the degree of selectivity was lower than in in vitro bioassays. Cyprodime has recently been radiolabelled with tritium resulting in high specific radioactivity (36.1 Ci/mmol). We found in in vitro binding experiments that this radioligand bound with high affinity (K(d) 3. 8+/-0.18 nM) to membranes of rat brain affording a B(max) of 87. 1+/-4.83 fmol/mg. Competition studies using mu, delta and kappa tritiated specific ligands confirmed the selective labelling of cyprodime to a mu-opioid receptor population. The mu-opioid receptor selective agonist [D-Ala(2),N-MePhe(4),Gly(5)-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO) was readily displaced by cyprodime (K(i) values in the low nanomolar range) while the competition for delta- ([D-Pen(2), D-Pen(5)]enkephalin (DPDPE)) and kappa- (5alpha,7alpha, 8beta-(-)-N-methyl-N-[7-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-1-oxaspiro(4, 5)dec-8-yl]-benzene-acetamide (U69,593)) opioid receptor selective compounds was several orders of magnitude less. We also found that cyprodime inhibits morphine-stimulated [35S]GTPgammaS binding. The EC(50) value of morphine increased about 500-fold in the presence of 10 microM cyprodime. These findings clearly indicate that cyprodime is a useful selective antagonist for mu-opioid receptor characterization.

Importance of the aromatic residue at position 6 of [Nle(10)]neurokinin A(4-10) for binding to the NK-2 receptor and receptor activation.

Steric and electrostatic requirements at position 6 of [Nle(10)]NKA(4-10), a full agonist of NK-2 receptors, for molecular recognition by the receptor were studied. Two series of peptide analogues, (a) p-substituted analogues, [p-X-Phe(6), Nle(10)]NKA(4-10), where X = F, Cl, Br, I, NH(2), NO(2), and (b) [D-Phe(6),Nle(10)]NKA(4-10), [Trp(6),Nle(10)]NKA(4-10), and [Chex-Ala(6),Nle(10)]NKA(4-10), were synthesized, and their biological activity was examined. Competition binding experiments with [(3)H]NKA were performed using cloned human NK-2 receptors expressed in CHO cells. Antagonistic and agonistic properties of the analogues were studied using an in vitro functional assay with hamster tracheal rings. The rank order of potency of agonists was [Nle(10)]NKA(4-10) approximately [p-F-Phe(6),Nle(10)]NKA(4-10) > [p-NH(2)-Phe(6),Nle(10)]NKA(4-10) > [p-Cl-Phe(6),Nle(10)]NKA(4-10) > [p-NO(2)-Phe(6),Nle(10)]NKA(4-10) > [Trp(6),Nle(10)]NKA(4-10). Size and planarity of the aromatic side chain were crucially important for the biological activity, whereas electron-donating and electron-withdrawing properties of the para-substituent were less important. The results favor the hypothesis that weakly polar pi-pi interactions exist between the aromatic group and the receptor.

Coupling difficulty following replacement of Tyr with HOTic during synthesis of an analog of an EGF B-loop fragment.

During Fmoc synthesis of an analog, [Abu HOTic]hEGF(20-31), of a fragment, Cys-Met-Tyr-Ile-Glu-Ala-Leu-Asp-Lys-Tyr-Ala-Cys, of the B-loop of human EGF, conductivity measurements showed that increased time was necessary for coupling and complete deprotection of the residues Met and Abu which followed the HOTic. Use of different active esterforming reagents, including HOBt and BOP, did not increase the yield. Use of symmetrical anhydride with extended coupling time increased the yield but did not complete the coupling. It appears that inclusion of HOTic in place of Tyr to introduce conformational constrain to peptide analogs can cause or augment a tendency towards conformations with increasing occlusion of N-terminal amino groups and result in the need for altered coupling strategies for completion of analog synthesis.

Interaction of agonist peptide [3H]Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Phe-NH2 with mu-opioid receptor in rat brain and CHO-mu/1 cell line.

Opioid receptor binding properties of [3H]Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Phe-NH2 (TAPP) were characterized in rat brain and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing the rat mu-receptor. In rat brain, [3H]TAPP labeled a single class of opioid sites with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 0.31 nM and maximal number of binding sites (Bmax) of 119 fmol/mg protein. In CHO-mu/1 cell membranes, the Kd and Bmax values were 0.78 nM and 1806 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Binding to rat brain was demonstrated to be pharmacologically identical to that obtained with CHO-mu/1 cell membranes and modulated by Na+ ions and guanine nucleotides. The high affinity and selectivity of [3H]TAPP together with its low non-specific binding make this radioligand a useful tool for labeling the native and cloned mu-opioid receptor.

Synthesis of gonadotropin-releasing hormone III analogs. Structure-antitumor activity relationships.

Following the observation that the activity of gonadotropin-releasing hormone III (GnRH-III) in the suppression of growth of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells surpasses that of GnRH and other analogs thereof, analogs of GnRH-III were synthesized to investigate the structural basis for the improved antitumor activity. Compounds synthesized include analogs with changes in the central sequence in which GnRH-III differs from GnRH and in the C- and N-terminal regions. The results indicate that a salt bridge between Asp6 and Lys8 stabilizes the active conformation of GnRH-III and show the importance of the Trp7. Replacement of the C-terminal Gly-NH2 with D-Ala-NH2 was not well tolerated, but replacement with ethylamide was. Replacement of pGlu1 with Ac-D-Trp appears to have a significantly deleterious effect on a unique conformation of GnRH-III which is responsible for its binding to the receptors on cancer cell lines and the resultant antitumor activity.

Binding characteristics of the novel highly selective delta agonist, [3H]IIe5,6deltorphin II.

Following the description of the [3H]deltorphin II, it has been reported that the modification of deltorphin II with the substitution of Val5,6 residues by the more hydrophobic IIe5,6 residues leads to an increased affinity and selectivity. The IIe5,6 deltorphin II (Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly-IIe-IIe-HH2) was tritiated by catalytic dehalogenation and labelled rat brain membrane sites with a Kd value of 0.40 nM and a Bmax of 121 fmol/mg protein. Competition binding experiments with various unlabelled subtype specific opioid receptor ligands resulted in mu/delta and kappa/delta selectivity ratios of 2400 and 18,000 respectively. Due to its high delta receptor affinity, delta selectivity and very low non-specific binding (< 20%), [3H]IIe5,6 deltorphin II, is a very useful tool for the identification and characterisation of delta opioid receptors.

Characterization of [3H]naltrindole binding to delta opioid receptors in rat brain.

[3H]Naltrindole binding characteristics were determined using homogenized rat brain tissue. Saturation binding studies at 25 degrees C measured an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) value of 37.0 +/- 3.0 pM and a receptor density (Bmax) value of 63.4 +/- 2.0 fmol/mg protein. Association binding studies showed that equilibrium was reached within 90 min at a radioligand concentration of 30 pM. Naltrindole, as well as the ligands selective for delta (delta) opioid receptors, such as pCI-DPDPE and Deltorphin II inhibited [3H]naltrindole binding with nanomolar IC50 values. Ligands selective for mu (mu) and kappa (kappa) opioid receptors were only effective in inhibiting [3H]naltrindole binding at micromolar concentrations. From these data, we conclude that [3H]naltrindole is a high affinity, selective radioligand for delta opioid receptors.