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Many reports emphasized the role of gastrin as growth factor on normal gastrointestinal mucosa and pancreas. In the present study, we analyzed the proliferative effects of cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin peptides on a rat tumoral pancreatic cell line, AR42J, which possesses both CCKA and CCKB receptor subtypes. The results showed a good correlation between the binding of gastrin to CCKB receptor [Kd 1.125 +/- 0.3 (SD) nM] and its ability to either induce ornithine decarboxylase activity [50% effective concentration, 0.6 +/- 0.3 nM] and [3H]-thymidine incorporation [50% effective concentration, 2 +/- 0.4 nM]. Furthermore, the ability of different cholecystokinin and gastrin antagonists such as proglumide and asperlicin derivatives (respectively, CR1409, CR1505, and L364,718) were tested. We found that all antagonists displaced 125I-labeled gastrin binding, with the following order of potencies: L364,718 greater than CR1409 greater than CR1505 greater than proglumide. Furthermore, the 50% inhibitory concentration of CR1409 and CR1505 to inhibit gastrin stimulated ornithine decarboxylase activity (an early event involved in cell proliferation) and [3H]thymidine incorporation were in agreement with their constants of inhibition (Ki) on gastrin binding. The L364,718 compound, at a concentration which fully occupied the CCKA without affecting the CCKB, had no effect on gastrin stimulated ornithine decarboxylase activity and [3H]thymidine incorporation. In addition, this compound appeared to be a full agonist on CCKB receptor. These results confirm the implication of the CCKB receptor in the proliferative response of AR42J cells to gastrin.

Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of both CCKA and CCKB receptors on dog and guinea pig pancreas. Although CCKA receptors are implicated in enzymatic secretion, biological effects of CCKB receptors are still unknown. We have previously found that a rat acinar pancreatic cell line (AR4-2J) possesses both receptor subtypes. In this work we report the ability of various CCK/gastrin agonists and antagonists to bind with these receptors. We found that gastrin, pentagastrin and Gastrin/CCK4 induce ornithine decarboxylase activity, an early event involved in cell proliferation, as well as 3H-thymidine incorporation. Furthermore, these effects occur at doses at which these peptides interact only with the CCKB receptor subtype. In view of these data we propose that modulation of AR4-2J cell growth by gastrin agonists specifically involve occupation of the CCKB receptor.

(Thr28,Nle31)CCK(23-33) (CCK-9) and gastrin(1-17)I (gastrin) inhibited adenylate cyclase activity in membranes from the tumoral rat pancreatic acinar cell line AR 4-2J through a Bordetella pertussis toxin-sensitive mechanism. This contrasted with the stimulatory effect exerted by CCK-9 on adenylate cyclase activity in membranes from normal rat pancreas. The relative potency of CCK-9, gastrin, and related peptides in inhibiting adenylate cyclase, when confronted with previous evidence, suggests that 'non-selective CCK-gastrin CCK-B receptors' predominating over 'selective CCK-A receptors' in the AR 4-2J cell line, favored the coupling of the first receptors to adenylate cyclase through Gi, while CCK-A receptors capable of stimulating the enzyme through Gs were detected only after Bordetella pertussis toxin pretreatment.

Recent studies have demonstrated that cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors are heterologous in peripheral tissues and in the central nervous system and that CCK-gastrin (CCK-G) peptides are potent trophic factors for the gastrointestinal tract. In the present study we used 125I-labeled gastrin and 125I-labeled CCK to demonstrate the heterogeneity of CCK receptors on a rat pancreatic acinar cell line (AR4-2J) and analyze the role of these receptors in increasing the activity of ornithine decarboxylase. Pharmacological analysis of radioligand binding fit well with the presence of two different receptors: 1) a CCK-selective receptor having the characteristics of the CCK receptor present on normal pancreatic cells and 2) a high-affinity, low-selectivity CCK-G binding site that interacts with all CCK-G peptides sulfated and nonsulfated. CCK-G peptides stimulate ornithine decarboxylase activity with the following order of potencies (EC50): G-(2-17)-ds (0.1 nM) greater than or equal to CCK-9 (0.25 nM) greater than or equal to pentagastrin (0.4 nM) greater than CCK-4 (6 nM). This stimulation was not inhibited by CCK antagonist (asperlicin) at a concentration range that blocks the CCK receptor but does not compete with 125I-labeled gastrin binding to the CCK-G receptor. These results, obtained with CCK-G agonists and antagonists, demonstrate that ornithine decarboxylase stimulation in these cells is mediated via the CCK-G receptor.

Trophic changes of the exocrine pancreas after in vivo gastrin (G)/CCK treatment are well documented but up to now the study of the mechanisms involved is restricted by the lack of a suitable in vitro model. Nevertheless the in vivo trophic effect induced by gastrin/CCK peptides has been associated with an increase of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. In the present work, using the AR42J cell line in which CCK receptors and stimulation of amylase release by CCK peptides has already been demonstrated, we investigated the presence of gastrin binding sites and the possible modulation of proliferation by an inhibitor of ODC activity. 125I-BH-G17ns binding is saturable, reversible and specific. Potencies of the different analogues tested are G17ns greater than CCK8 greater than CCK8ns greater than or equal to G6s greater than G/CCK4. Furthermore dBt cGMP, a non-peptide antagonist for CCK receptors, does not compete for gastrin binding. This indicates the existence of a subclass of gastrin binding sites. Difluoromethyl ornithine (DFMO) (1 mM), an irreversible inhibitor of ODC, inhibits cell growth from day 3 up to day 7. This growth inhibition is dose dependent and closely related to an intracellular polyamine modulation. Putrescine and spermidine levels fell under detectable values while spermine levels increased. All these data suggest that this cell line could be a useful in vitro model to study the mechanisms of gastrin induced growth control.