Somatostatin and dopamine receptor interaction in prostate and lung cancer cell lines

Somatostatin analogues inhibit in vitro cell proliferation via specific membrane receptors (SSTRs). Recent studies on transfected cell lines have shown a ligand-induced formation of receptor dimers. The aim of this study is 1) to evaluate the role of specific ligands in modulating receptor interactions in the androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP, and in the non-small cell lung cancer line, Calu-6, by co-immunoprecipitation and immunoblot; and 2) to correlate the antiproliferative effect of these compounds with their ability in modulating receptor interactions. In LNCaP, we have demonstrated the constitutive presence of sstr(1)/sstr(2), sstr(2)/sstr(5), sstr(5)/dopamine (DA) type 2 receptor (D2R), and sstr(2)/D2R dimers. BIM-23704 (sstr(1)- and sstr(2)-preferential compound) increased the co-immunoprecipitation of sstr(1)/sstr(2) and significantly inhibited proliferation (K30.98%). BIM-23244 (sstr(2)-sstr(5) selective agonist) significantly increased the co-immunoprecipitation of sstr(2)/sstr(5), and induced a K41.36% inhibition of proliferation. BIM-23A760, a new somatostatin/DA chimeric agonist with a high affinity for sstr(2) and D2R and a moderate affinity for sstr(5), significantly increased the sstr(5)/D2R and sstr(2)/D2R complexes and was the most powerful in inhibiting proliferation (K42.30%). The chimeric compound was also the most efficient in modulating receptor interaction in Calu-6, increasing the co-immunoprecipitation of D2R/sstr(5) and inhibiting cell proliferation (K30.54%). However, behind BIM-23A760, BIM-53097 (D2R-preferential compound) also significantly inhibited Calu-6 proliferation (K17.71%), suggesting a key role for D2R in receptor cross talk and in controlling cell growth. Indeed, activation of monomeric receptors did not affect receptor co-immunoprecipitation, whereas cell proliferation was significantly inhibited when the receptors were synergistically activated. In conclusion, our data show a dynamic ligand-induced somatostatin and DA receptor interaction, which may be crucial for the antiproliferative effects of the new analogues. Journal of Endocrinology (2010) 207, 309-317