Abstract
Oxytocin receptors (OTRs) are expressed in numerous tissues, including human normal endothelium. Here we investigated the expression and biological significance of OTRs in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), an intensely angioproliferative disease of possible vascular origin with a prominent inflammatory component. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization studies showed OTR expression in tumor cells of cutaneous classic and AIDS-related KS lesions. OTR mRNA and protein were also detected on cultured KS-IMM spindle cells by reverse transcription-PCR and immunofluorescence procedures. In these cells, OTR expression was upregulated by the supernatants of resting CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes through a still unidentified factor. Functionality of OTRs was demonstrated because OT treatment of KS-IMM cells led to a significant increase in cell proliferation, coupled to the increase of intracellular calcium, but did not effect cell migration in vitro or angiogenesis in vivo. In addition, we demonstrated that CD4+ and CD8+ cells produce OT themselves, thus constituting an intralesional source of peptide. These results indicate that: (a) functioning OTRs are expressed in KS cells and modulated by the inflammatory counterpart of KS lesions; (b) via OTRs, OT stimulates KS-IMM cell proliferation and could, therefore, be considered a new possible relevant growth factor involved in KS progression; and finally (c) the evidence of OT synthesis by CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes strongly suggests the existence of local endocrine-immunological cross-talk in Kaposi's sarcoma.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2406-2413 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Cancer Research |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 15 2002 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cancer Research
- Oncology
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Oxytocin is a growth factor for Kaposi's sarcoma cells : Evidence of endocrine-immunological cross-talk. / Cassoni, Paola; Sapino, Anna; Deaglio, Silvia; Bussolati, Benedetta; Volante, Marco; Munaron, Luca; Albini, Adriana; Torrisi, Antonietta; Bussolati, Gianni.
In: Cancer Research, Vol. 62, No. 8, 15.04.2002, p. 2406-2413.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Oxytocin is a growth factor for Kaposi's sarcoma cells
T2 - Evidence of endocrine-immunological cross-talk
AU - Cassoni, Paola
AU - Sapino, Anna
AU - Deaglio, Silvia
AU - Bussolati, Benedetta
AU - Volante, Marco
AU - Munaron, Luca
AU - Albini, Adriana
AU - Torrisi, Antonietta
AU - Bussolati, Gianni
PY - 2002/4/15
Y1 - 2002/4/15
N2 - Oxytocin receptors (OTRs) are expressed in numerous tissues, including human normal endothelium. Here we investigated the expression and biological significance of OTRs in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), an intensely angioproliferative disease of possible vascular origin with a prominent inflammatory component. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization studies showed OTR expression in tumor cells of cutaneous classic and AIDS-related KS lesions. OTR mRNA and protein were also detected on cultured KS-IMM spindle cells by reverse transcription-PCR and immunofluorescence procedures. In these cells, OTR expression was upregulated by the supernatants of resting CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes through a still unidentified factor. Functionality of OTRs was demonstrated because OT treatment of KS-IMM cells led to a significant increase in cell proliferation, coupled to the increase of intracellular calcium, but did not effect cell migration in vitro or angiogenesis in vivo. In addition, we demonstrated that CD4+ and CD8+ cells produce OT themselves, thus constituting an intralesional source of peptide. These results indicate that: (a) functioning OTRs are expressed in KS cells and modulated by the inflammatory counterpart of KS lesions; (b) via OTRs, OT stimulates KS-IMM cell proliferation and could, therefore, be considered a new possible relevant growth factor involved in KS progression; and finally (c) the evidence of OT synthesis by CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes strongly suggests the existence of local endocrine-immunological cross-talk in Kaposi's sarcoma.
AB - Oxytocin receptors (OTRs) are expressed in numerous tissues, including human normal endothelium. Here we investigated the expression and biological significance of OTRs in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), an intensely angioproliferative disease of possible vascular origin with a prominent inflammatory component. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization studies showed OTR expression in tumor cells of cutaneous classic and AIDS-related KS lesions. OTR mRNA and protein were also detected on cultured KS-IMM spindle cells by reverse transcription-PCR and immunofluorescence procedures. In these cells, OTR expression was upregulated by the supernatants of resting CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes through a still unidentified factor. Functionality of OTRs was demonstrated because OT treatment of KS-IMM cells led to a significant increase in cell proliferation, coupled to the increase of intracellular calcium, but did not effect cell migration in vitro or angiogenesis in vivo. In addition, we demonstrated that CD4+ and CD8+ cells produce OT themselves, thus constituting an intralesional source of peptide. These results indicate that: (a) functioning OTRs are expressed in KS cells and modulated by the inflammatory counterpart of KS lesions; (b) via OTRs, OT stimulates KS-IMM cell proliferation and could, therefore, be considered a new possible relevant growth factor involved in KS progression; and finally (c) the evidence of OT synthesis by CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes strongly suggests the existence of local endocrine-immunological cross-talk in Kaposi's sarcoma.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 11956104
AN - SCOPUS:0037089476
VL - 62
SP - 2406
EP - 2413
JO - Journal of Cancer Research
JF - Journal of Cancer Research
SN - 0008-5472
IS - 8
ER -