Expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors on neoplastic growth and prediction of prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer

Journal of Translational Medicine

Haibo Zhang²  Jianxing He¹  Jun Liu¹  Hailing Tang¹  Liyan Huang¹  Xiaoshun Shi¹  Jin Li¹  Dakai Xiao¹  Jianfei Shen¹  Yuanjie Zheng¹  Rong Zhang¹  Xiaoxue Zhang¹ 

[1] Guangzhou Research Institute of Respiratory Disease & China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510120, China;Departments of Anesthesia, Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada

关键词: Prognosis;    Biomarker;    Survival;    Gamma aminobutyric acid receptor;   

Others  :  1205882
DOI  :  10.1186/1479-5876-11-102

 received in 2012-12-28, accepted in 2013-04-16,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult mammalian brain, but exerts physiologic effects other than that on neurotransmitter in non-neuronal peripheral tissues and organs. GABA may affect cancer growth through activation GABA receptors. We investigated the gene expression of GABA receptors in tissue of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) and non-cancerous tissues, and found that the gene expression of GABA receptor phenotypes was correlated with tumorigenesis and clinical prognosis.

Methods

Sixty-one snap-frozen human samples of NSCLC tissues and paired non-cancerous tissues (5cm away from tumor) were analyzed. Gene expression of GABA receptors was detected by Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Survival times in relation to the expression of GABA receptor phenotypes were analyzed. Human NSCLC cell lines H1299, A549, H520, H460 and human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B were used to determine the phenotypes of GABA inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth. The effects of exogenous administration of GABA on H1299 cell growth were examined.

Results

The gene expressions were significantly higher in NSCLC tissues than in the paired non-cancerous tissues for GABA_A receptor subunit α3 (GABR_A3, P = 0.030); for GABA_A receptor subunit epsilon (GABR_E, P = 0.036); and GABA_B receptor subunit 2 (GABBR₂, P = 0.005). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with high expression of GABBR₂ gene and low expression of GABR_A3 gene had a better prognosis (P < 0.05). The administration of GABA resulted in suppressed proliferation of NSCLC cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The use of the GABA receptor antagonist CGP35348 could reverse the inhibitory effect.

Conclusions

The pattern of GABA receptor gene phenotype expression may be involved in the regulation of tumorigenesis. A high expression of GABBR₂ with a low expression of GABR_A3 may predict a better outcome. The treatment with GABA attenuates cancer cell growth in vitro. The expression of GABA receptor may be not only promising genetic therapeutic targets but may also serve as valuable prognostic markers for NSCLC.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Zhang et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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