Targeting gastrin releasing peptide receptors New options for the therapy and diagnosis of cancer

Gastrin-releasing peptide (GrP), the mammalian bombesin (BN), appears to be involved in the growth of several neoplasms. BN/GrP receptors (BN/GrP-rs) are expressed in a variety of cancer cells and have limited distribution in normal human tissue. Thus inhibition of BN/GrP-rs represents an attractive target for pharmacological treatment of some human malignancies. This review will focus on intracellular signaling pathways which have been characterized to mediate BN/GrP-dependent receptor biological effects as well as on various approaches to target BN/GrP-rs for therapeutic and diagnostic interventions in human malignancies.