Human pancreatic cancer cell proliferation in tissue culture is tonically inhibited by opioid growth factor

Int J Oncol. 1999 Mar;14(3):577-84. doi: 10.3892/ijo.14.3.577.

Abstract

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a fatal malignancy that ranks as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. The median survival after diagnosis is 3-6 months, with a 5-year survival rate of 3% or less. In spite of treatment efforts of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, the survival rate remains unchanged. In this study, we discovered that an endogenous opioid peptide, [Met5]-enkephalin, inhibited the growth of human pancreatic cancers in vitro; in view of this pentapeptide's action it has been termed opioid growth factor (OGF). OGF was found to be constitutively expressed, autocrine produced, and tonically capable of suppressing cell replication in an opioid receptor mediated manner. Growth inhibition was dose-related, reversible, not cytotoxic, and independent of serum. All 4 pancreatic cancer cell lines examined, representative of poor to well-differentiated neoplasias, exhibited growth regulation by OGF. Immunocytochemical studies detected both OGF and its related receptor, zeta, in the cytoplasm of log phase cells. Radioimmunoassays revealed that OGF was produced and secreted by the cells. These data suggest that a native opioid peptide, OGF, interacts with a novel opioid receptor, zeta, to arrest the growth of human pancreatic cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Autocrine Communication
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Culture Media, Serum-Free
  • Enkephalin, Methionine / metabolism
  • Enkephalin, Methionine / pharmacology*
  • Growth Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Narcotic Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / pharmacology
  • Opioid Peptides / immunology
  • Opioid Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Radioimmunoassay
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Culture Media, Serum-Free
  • Growth Inhibitors
  • Narcotic Antagonists
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Opioid Peptides
  • Enkephalin, Methionine