Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027627 (metastases)
 103,950 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 (ET-1) is at its highest concentration in the normal human ejaculate and is associated with the progression of metastatic prostate cancer. ET-1 protein expression is detected in situ in 14 of 14 primary cancers and 14 of 16 metastatic sites of human prostatic carcinoma. Exogenous ET-1 induces prostate cancer proliferation directly and enhances the mitogenic effects of insulin-like growth factor I, insulin-like growth factor II, platelet-derived growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and epidermal growth factor in serum-free conditions in vitro. The ETA-selective receptor antagonist A-127722 inhibits ET-1-stimulated growth, but the ETB-selective receptor antagonist BQ-788 does not. ET-3, an ETB-selective agonist, also had no effect on prostate cancer growth. No specific ETB-binding sites could be demonstrated in any established human prostate cancer cell line tested, and ETB mRNA, detected by reverse transcription PCR, was reduced. The predominance of ETB binding on human benign prostatic epithelial tissue is not present in metastatic prostate cancer by autoradiography. In human prostate cancer progression to metastases, ET-1 and ETA expression are retained, whereas ETB receptor expression is reduced.
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PMID:Endothelin-1 production and decreased endothelin B receptor expression in advanced prostate cancer. 863 Sep 91

Production of the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 (ET-1) by human prostate cancer cells accompanies prostate cancer progression in vivo. The predominant endothelin receptor expressed by normal prostate epithelium, ETB, is not expressed by any of the established human prostate cancer cell lines, and ETB binding is decreased on prostate cancer tissues. ETB, which may mediate ET-1 clearance and may inhibit ET-1 secretion, is encoded by a gene that contains a 5' CpG island encompassing the transcriptional regulatory region. We examined this regulatory region of the ETB receptor gene (EDNRB) to determine whether hypermethylation of cytidine nucleotides accompanies decreased ETB expression in human prostate cancer. We found somatic methylation of CpG island sequences in EDNRB in 5 of 5 human prostate cancer cell lines, 15 of 21 primary prostate cancer tissues, and 8 of 14 prostate cancer metastases (70% of samples overall). Normal tissues contained only unmethylated EDNRB. Treatment of human prostatic carcinoma cell line cultures with 5-azacytidine induced ETB mRNA expression, suggesting that CpG island methylation changes might accompany the apparent transcriptional silencing of EDNRB in vivo.
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PMID:Methylation of the 5' CpG island of the endothelin B receptor gene is common in human prostate cancer. 898 36

The brain is an important site of hematogenous metastases from malignant tumors in other organs. The effects on the brain is a combination of tissue destruction induced by invading tumor cells and reactive alterations occurring around the metastases. This review focuses on neuropathological changes around hematogenous metastases of the human brain. The peritumoral brain parenchyma shows structural and functional changes of the intracerebral microvessels and edema. The endothelial cells of peritumoral microvessels express glucose transporter protein (GLUT 1) in the same way as the normal brain. Reduction in immunostaining to GLUT 1 may occur in the microvessels located within the metastases. This would indicate abnormalities of the blood-brain barrier in tumor vessels but normal barrier function in the peritumoral region. Reactive astrocytes and activated microglial cells are both involved in the process of peritumoral gliosis. Activated glial cells produce numerous biological active compounds including endothelin-1 which after release from such cells can influence the structure and function of the peritumoral brain tissue. Lesions of oligodendrocytes and edema may be implicated in myelin degeneration. Finally, metastases will induce axonal and neuronal injuries as indicated by a recent study on expression of beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta APP) in reactive axonal swellings.
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PMID:Hematogenous metastases of the human brain--characteristics of peritumoral brain changes: a review. 926 44

Neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (NEP, CD10) is a cell-surface enzyme expressed by prostatic epithelial cells that cleaves and inactivates neuropeptides implicated in the growth of androgen-independent prostate cancer (PC). NEP substrates such as bombesin and endothelin-1 induce cell migration. We investigated the mechanisms of NEP regulation of cell migration in PC cells, including regulation of phosphorylation on tyrosine of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Western analyses and cell migration assays revealed an inverse correlation between NEP expression and the levels of FAK phosphorylation and cell migration in PC cell lines. Constitutively expressed NEP, recombinant NEP, and induced NEP expression using a tetracycline-repressive expression system inhibited bombesin- and endothelin-1-stimulated FAK phosphorylation and cell migration. This results from NEP-induced inhibition of neuropeptide-stimulated association of FAK with cSrc protein. Expression of a mutated catalytically inactive NEP protein also resulted in partial inhibition of FAK phosphorylation and cell migration. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments show that NEP associates with tyrosine-phosphorylated Lyn kinase, which then binds the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) resulting in an NEP-Lyn-PI3-K protein complex. This complex competitively blocks FAK-PI3-K interaction, suggesting that NEP protein inhibits cell migration via a protein-protein interaction independent of its catalytic function. These experiments demonstrate that NEP can inhibit FAK phosphorylation on tyrosine and PC cell migration through multiple pathways and suggest that cell migration which contributes to invasion and metastases in PC cells can be regulated by NEP.
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PMID:Neutral endopeptidase inhibits prostate cancer cell migration by blocking focal adhesion kinase signaling. 1110 93

Elevated VEGF blood concentrations have been proven to be associated with poor prognosis in human neoplasms. This finding is generally explained as a consequence of the potential angiogenic properties of VEGF itself. However, preliminary experimental studies suggest that VEGF, in addition to its angiogenic activity, may also play an immunosuppressant role by inhibiting dendritic cell (DC) maturation. The present study was performed to analyze blood levels of VEGF in cancer patients in relation to those of another potentially angiogenic tumor growth factor, endothelin-1 (ET-1), and to the absolute number of circulating immature and mature DC, and serum levels of the best known antitumor cytokine, IL-12. The study was performed in 100 healthy controls and in 80 solid tumor patients (colorectal cancer: 24; gastric cancer: 17; cancer of pancreas: 4; lung cancer: 13; breast cancer: 11; renal cell cancer: 6; gynecologic tumors: 5), 48 of whom showed distant organ metastases. In each patient, we have evaluated serum concentrations of VEGF-165, total VEGF, ET-1, IL-12 and the circulating number of immature (CD123+) and mature (CD11c+) DC. Mean serum levels of VEGF-165 were significantly higher in metastatic patients than in controls or in non-metastatic patients, whereas the total amounts of VEGF were not significantly higher. Moreover, it has been observed that patients with abnormally elevated blood concentrations of VEGF-165 showed significantly lower mean values of immature DC, mature DC and IL-12 and significantly higher mean levels of ET-1 than those with normal concentrations. This study, by confirming that advanced neoplastic disease may be associated with increased endogenous secretion of VEGF, seems to suggest that the association between high blood levels of VEGF and poor prognosis in cancer does not depend only on VEGF-induced stimulation of the neovascularization, but also on VEGF-related immunosuppression.
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PMID:Abnormally enhanced blood concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in metastatic cancer patients and their relation to circulating dendritic cells, IL-12 and endothelin-1. 1150 71

The endothelins, a family of potent vasoconstricting peptides, have been implicated in the pathophysiology of advanced prostate cancer. Two endothelin receptors, ET-A and ET-B are found in normal prostate tissue. Malignant prostate cells are notable for the loss of ET-B receptors and increased levels of endothelin-1 [ET-1]; this distortion of the endothelin system may be a significant factor in the progression of prostate cancer. Proposed roles for endothelin in prostate cancer include growth promotion, apoptosis inhibition, bone formation, and stimulation of nociceptive receptors. ET-1 can act alone as a mitogen, but its effects are greatest as a comitogen with a variety of growth factors, including basic fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factors, and platelet derived growth factor. Although their exact functions are unclear, ET-1, in conjunction with vascular endothelial growth factor, appears to play a major role in tumor angiogenesis. By a variety of methods, ET-1 alters the balance of osteoblast and osteoclasts to the favor new bone formation that is characteristic of metastatic disease. Several studies indicate that the refractory pain of metastatic cancer is related to the direct nociceptive effects ET-1. These findings suggest that ET receptors are promising therapeutic targets for pharmacologic intervention. Early clinical trials indicate that the ET-A receptor antagonist used in prostate cancer is reasonably well tolerated with mild but pervasive symptoms related to ET-1's vasoconstrictive effects. Results of ongoing clinical trials are eagerly awaited in order to see if the hypothetical promise of ET antagonism will result in clinical success.
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PMID:Endothelin-1 as a target for therapeutic intervention in prostate cancer. 1209 77

Osteoblastic bone metastases are common in prostate and breast cancer patients, but mechanisms by which tumor cells stimulate new bone formation are unclear. We identified three breast cancer cell lines that cause osteoblastic metastases in a mouse model and secrete endothelin-1. Tumor-produced endothelin-1 stimulates new bone formation in vitro and osteoblastic metastases in vivo via the endothelin A receptor. Treatment with an orally active endothelin A receptor antagonist dramatically decreased bone metastases and tumor burden in mice inoculated with ZR-75-1 cells. Tumor-produced endothelin-1 may have a major role in the establishment of osteoblastic bone metastases, and endothelin A receptor blockade represents effective treatment.
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PMID:A causal role for endothelin-1 in the pathogenesis of osteoblastic bone metastases. 1296 8

Certain solid tumors metastasize to bone, causing an osteoblastic response. The mechanisms by which tumor cells stimulate this new bone formation are not understood completely. We identified three breast cancer lines that cause osteoblastic metastases in female nude mice and provide evidence that tumor-produced endothelin-1 (ET-1) mediates the osteoblastic response. Tumor-conditioned media and exogenous ET-1 stimulated osteoblast proliferation and new bone formation in cultures of calvarias from mice. These effects were blocked by endothelin A (ETA) but not by ETB receptor antagonists. Mice inoculated with the ZR-75-1 breast cancer line and treated with a selective ETA receptor antagonist (ABT-627) had significantly fewer osteoblastic bone metastases and less tumor burden compared with untreated mice. In contrast, there was no effect of ABT-627 on osteolytic bone metastases caused by ET-1-negative breast cancer, MDA-MB-231. ABT-627 had no effect on cell growth in vitro or at the orthotopic site (mammary fat pad) of ZR-75-1, or MDA-MB-231 cells. Collectively, the data suggest that tumor-produced ET-1 mediates osteoblastic bone metastases by stimulating osteoblast proliferation and new bone formation. Endothelin A receptor blockade may be useful for the prevention and treatment of osteoblastic bone metastases attributable to breast or prostate cancer.
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PMID:Mechanisms of osteoblastic metastases: role of endothelin-1. 1460 May 94

Angiogenesis is necessary for the growth of primary tumors and the formation of metastases. It is well known that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors play a major role in this process. To date, the formation of bone metastases has been poorly understood. Tumor cells must interact with the microenvironment of the bone and new blood vessels must spread. The ET/ET(A) (endothelin) receptor system seems to play an important role in this process. Specimens from metastatic bone lesions and non-malignant bone tissue were analyzed by histological and immunohistochemical staining. Sections were stained with antibodies against CD31, Flt-1, KDR, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothelin receptor A (ET(A)). Our studies show that there is an increased microvessel density (MVD) in metastatic bone lesions from different primary tumors in contrast to normal bone tissue. In nearly all tumor formations of the bone, ET-1 and its receptor ET(A) was found by immunohistochemistry. We also performed immunohistochemical staining for the VEGF-receptors Flt-1 and KDR. In conclusion, there is an increased vessel density in metastatic bone lesions in contrast to normal bone tissue. The ET/ET(A) system can be detected in nearly all bone specimens and is upregulated in metastatic bone lesions in contrast to healthy bone tissue.
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PMID:Angiogenesis and the ET-1/ETA receptor system: immunohistochemical expression analysis in bone metastases from patients with different primary tumors. 1504 98

Pain in patients with metastatic cancer contributes to increased suffering in those already burdened by their advancing illness. The causes of this pain are unknown but likely to involve the action of tumor-associated mediators and their receptors. One such mediator, endothelin-1 (ET-1), can induce both pain-like behavior in animals and pain in humans that is endothelin-A (ET(A)) receptor-dependent, and that appears to be due to the selective excitation of pain fibers. More significantly, in clinical studies, antagonists of the ET(A) receptor have been shown to ameliorate pain in some patients with advanced metastatic prostate cancer. The identification of tumor-associated mediators such as ET-1 that might directly or indirectly cause pain in patients with metastatic disease should lead to improved, targeted analgesia for patients with advanced cancer.
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PMID:Endothelin-1 and metastatic cancer pain. 1510 14


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