Abstract 4432: Pancreatic normal duct epithelial and cancer cells express an autocrine catecholamine loop that is activated by the α3, 5 and 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Abstract

Abstract Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in developed countries. Smoking is an established risk factor for this malignancy but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Previous reports have provided evidence that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and beta-adrenergic receptors (α-ARs) stimulate the growth and migration of pancreatic cancer cells. But a potential cooperation of these two receptor families in the regulation of pancreatic cancer has not been studied to date. Using two pancreatic cancer cell lines and immortalized pancreatic duct epithelia in vitro, our current data show, that all three cell lines synthesized and released the catecholamine neurotransmitters noradrenaline and adrenaline upon exposure to nicotine and that this activity was regulated by the α3, 5 & 7-nAChRs. In accord with the established function of these catecholamines as α-AR agonists, nicotine-induced cell proliferation was blocked by the α-AR antagonist propranolol. Nicotine-induced proliferation was also abolished by the α7-nAChR antagonist α-bungarotoxin and catecholamine production in response to nicotine was blocked by α3, 5 or 7-nAChR gene knockdown. Moreover, our results show that the nicotinic agonists acetylcholine, nicotine, and its nitrosated carcinogenic derivative NNK induced the phosphorylation of CREB, ERK, Src and AKT and that those responses were inhibited by the beta-blocker, propranolol. Our findings identify this hitherto unknown autocrine catecholamine loop as an important regulatory cascade in pancreatic cancer that may prove a promising new target for cancer intervention. Supported by R01CA042829 and R01CA130888 with the National Cancer Institute. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4432. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4432