1. Academic Validation
  2. Neuronal calcitonin gene-related peptide promotes prostate tumor growth in the bone microenvironment

Neuronal calcitonin gene-related peptide promotes prostate tumor growth in the bone microenvironment

  • Peptides. 2021 Jan;135:170423. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2020.170423.
Wenjing Zhu 1 Dongya Sheng 1 Yiqun Shao 1 Qiang Zhang 1 Yu Peng 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Urology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
  • 2 Department of Urology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
Abstract

Advanced stage of prostate Cancer cells preferentially metastasizes to varying bones of prostate Cancer patients, resulting in incurable disease with poor prognosis and limited therapeutical treatment options. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a neuropeptide produced by prostate gland, is known to play a pivotal role in facilitating tumor growth and metastasis of numerous human cancers. In this study, we aim to investigate the clinical relevance of CGRP in prostate Cancer patients and the effects of CGRP and CGRP antagonists on prostate tumor growth in the mouse model. The prostate tumor-bearing mice were received either CGRP or CGRP antagonist treatment, and the tumor growth was monitored by quantification of luminescence intensities. We found that the CGRP+ nerve fiber density and serum CGRP levels were substantially upregulated in the bone or serum specimens from advanced prostate Cancer patients as well as in prostate tumor-bearing mice. Administration of CGRP promoted, whereas treatment of CGRP antagonists inhibited prostate tumor growth in the femurs of mice. In addition, CGRP treatment activated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs)/ Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling in prostate Cancer cells. Targeting CGRP may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for advanced prostate Cancer patients.

Keywords

Bone metastasis; CGRP; CGRP antagonists; ERKs/STAT3 signaling; Prostate cancer.

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