Bombesin family receptor and ligand gene expression in human colorectal and gastric cancer

Chave, Helen Sally (1999) Bombesin family receptor and ligand gene expression in human colorectal and gastric cancer. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Abstract

The gastrointestinal tract is subject to many systemically secreted hormones and locally produced growth factors. These play a vital role in normal development and differentiation, and are also closely linked to abnormal growth including neoplasia. The gastrointestinal tract is a natural source of bombesin-like peptides, which have been shown to be mitogenic for a number of gastrointestinal cancers. Colorectal and stomach cancers have been shown to express bombesin-like peptide receptors, yet they are not expressed in matched normal mucosa.

This thesis reports work performed to establish the comparative expression of bombesin-like peptides and their receptors in stomach and colorectal tumours with that of normal mucosa. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine levels of expression and in situ (ISH) hybridisation localised the site of expression.

This thesis demonstrates for the first time, the presence of the mRNA for GRP (and a spliced variant) and its corresponding receptor, and NMB in colorectal and stomach cancer together with matched normal mucosa. Levels of expression are generally higher in tumours. Using ISH the expression of the receptor has been localised to the epithelium rather than the stroma.

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