Basic Research
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 21, 2008; 14(15): 2358-2363
Published online Apr 21, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.2358
Effects of α-adrenoreceptor antagonists on apoptosis and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro
Su-Gang Shen, Dong Zhang, Heng-Tong Hu, Jun-Hui Li, Zheng Wang, Qing-Yong Ma
Su-Gang Shen, Dong Zhang, Heng-Tong Hu, Jun-Hui Li, Zheng Wang, Qing-Yong Ma, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
Author contributions: Shen SG and Zhang D contributed equally to this work; Shen SG, Zhang D, Hu HT and Ma QY designed the research; Shen SG, Zhang D and Li JH performed the research; Wang Z contributed to the new reagents/analytic tools; Shen SG, Zhang D and Li JH analyzed the data; and Shen SG and Zhang D wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Professor Qing-Yong Ma, PhD, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China. shensgdr@yahoo.com.cn
Telephone: +86-29-85323899
Fax: +86-29-85323899
Received: December 12, 2007
Revised: March 5, 2008
Published online: April 21, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To discuss the expression of α-adrenoreceptors in pancreatic cancer cell lines PC-2 and PC-3 and the effects of α1- and α2-adrenoreceptor antagonists, yohimbine and urapidil hydrochloride, on the cell lines in vitro.

METHODS: We cultured the human ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines PC-2 and PC-3 and analyzed the mRNA expression of α1- and α2-adrenergic receptors by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The effects of yohimbine and urapidil hydrochloride on cell proliferation were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,4,-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptosis was detected using the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated biotin-16-dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay and flow cytometry (FCM).

RESULTS: PC-2 expressed mRNA in α1- and α2-adrenoreceptors. MTT assays showed that urapidil hydrochloride had no effect on PC-3 cell lines. However, exposure to urapidil hydrochloride increased DNA synthesis in PC-2 cell lines as compared to the control group. PC-2 cell lines were sensitive to both drugs. The proliferation of the 2 cell lines was inhibited by yohimbine. Cell proliferation was inhibited by yohimbine via apoptosis induction.

CONCLUSION: The expression of α1- and α2-adrenoreceptors is different in PC-2 and PC-3 cell lines, which might be indicative of their different functions. The α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine, can inhibit the proliferation of both cell lines and induce their apoptosis, suggesting that yohimbine can be used as an anticancer drug for apoptosis of PC-2 and PC-3 cells.

Keywords: Alpha-adrenoreceptor; Pancreatic cancer; Yohimbine; Urapidil hydrochloride