Glycine-extended gastrin activates two independent tyrosine-kinases in upstream of p85/p110 phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in human colonic tumour cells

AIM： To investigate whether Src, JAK2 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K） pathways are involved in the proliferation of human colonic tumour cells induced by glycine-extended gastrin （G-gly）, the precursor of the mature amidated gastrin and to elucidate the molecular interaction between these three kinases in response to this peptide. METHODS： Using the human colonic tumour cell line HCT116 as a model, we first measured the activation of PI3K, p60-Src and JAK2 in response to G-gly by in vitro kinase assays. Then we investigated the involvement of these kinases in G-gly-induced cell proliferation by MTT test. RESULTS： G-gly stimulation induced p60-Src, JAK2 and PI3K activation in HCT116. The different pathways were involved in proliferation of human colon cancer cells induced by G-gly. Furthermore, we found that both Src and JAK2 were necessary to PI3K regulation by this peptide. However, we did not find any cross-talk between the two tyrosine kinases. CONCLUSION： Our results suggest that the p60-Src/ PI3K and JAK2/PI3K pathways act independently to mediate G-gly proliferative effect on human colonic tumour cells.

Role of gastrin-peptides in Barrett's and colorectal carcinogenesis

Gastrin is the main hormone responsible for the stimulation of gastric acid secretion;in addition,gastrin and its derivatives exert proliferative and antiapoptotic effects on several cell types.Gastrin synthesis and secretion are increased in certain situations,for example,when proton pump inhibitors are used.The impact of sustained hypergastrinemia is currently being investigated.In vitro experiments and animal models have shown that prolonged hypergastrinemia may be related with higher cancer rates;although,this relationship is less clear in human beings.Higher gastrin levels have been shown to cause hyperplasia of several cell types;yet,the risk for developing cancer seems to be the same in normo-and hypergastrinemic patients.Some tumors also produce their own gastrin,which can act in an autocrine manner promoting tumor growth.Certain cancers are extremely dependent on gastrin to proliferate.Initial research focused only on the effects of amidated gastrins,but there has been an interest in intermediates of gastrin in the last few decades.These intermediates aren't biologically inactive;in fact,they may exert greater effects on proliferation and apoptosis than the completely processed forms.In certain gastrin overproduction states,they are the most abundant gastrin peptides secreted.The purpose of this review is to examine the gastrin biosynthesis process and to summarize the results from different studies evaluating the production,levels,and effects of the main forms of gastrin in different overexpression states and their possible relationship with Barrett's and colorectal carcinogenesis.