Targeting the paracrine hormone-dependent guanylate cyclase/cGMP/phosphodiesterases signaling pathway for colorectal cancer prevention

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related-deaths. The risk of development of CRC is complex and multifactorial, and includes disruption of homeostasis of the intestinal epithelial layer mediated though dysregulations of tumor suppressing/promoting signaling pathways. Guanylate cyclase 2C (GUCY2C), a membrane-bound guanylate cyclase receptor, is present in the apical membranes of intestinal epithelial cells and maintains homeostasis. GUCY2C is activated upon binding of paracrine hormones (guanylin and uroguanylin) that lead to formation of cyclic GMP from GTP and activation of downstream signaling pathways that are associated with normal homeostasis. Dysregulation/suppression of the GUCY2C-mediated signaling promotes CRC tumorigenesis. High-calorie diet-induced obesity is associated with deficiency of guanylin expression and silencing of GUCY2C-signaling in colon epithelial cells, leading to tumorigenesis. Thus, GUCY2C agonists, such as linaclotide, exhibit considerable role in preventing CRC tumorigenesis. However, phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are elevated in intestinal epithelial cells during CRC tumorigenesis and block GUCY2C-mediated signaling by degrading cyclic GMP to 5`-GMP. PDE5-specific inhibitors, such as sildenafil, show considerable anti-tumorigenic potential against CRC by amplifying the GUCY2C/cGMP signaling pathway, but cannot achieve complete anti-tumorigenic effects. Hence, dual targeting the elevation of cGMP by providing paracrine hormone stimuli to GUCY2C and by inhibition of PDEs may be a better strategy for CRC prevention than alone. This review delineates the involvement of the GUCY2C/cGMP/PDEs signaling pathway in the homeostasis of intestinal epithelial cells. Further, the events are associated with dysregulation of this pathway during CRC tumorigenesis are also discussed. In addition, current updates on targeting the GUCY2C/cGMP/PDEs pathway with GUCY2C agonists and PDEs inhibitors for CRC prevention and treatment are described in detail.