In this study, we examined the expression of VPAC1 in human colon cancer tissues, analyzed the relationship between VPAC1 expression and cancer malignancy, and explored the possible mechanisms using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence double staining.
The VPAC1 receptor, a member of the vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors (VIPRs), is overexpressed in the most frequently occurring malignant tumors and plays a major role in the progression and angiogenesis of a number of malignancies.
The overexpression of VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors and COX-2 in cancer tissue gives them a potential role as targets for diagnosis of prostate cancer but results do not support a clear value as biomarkers for the clinical prognosis of this disease.
Our studies have further solidified VPAC1 as a cancer target and offer the possibility of generating highly potent VPAC1-selective antagonists with minimal number of mutations to reduce the risk of immunogenicity and potentially prolonged duration of action to allow more efficient treatment regimen.
Both cancer cell lines expressed VIP and VPAC(1) (but not VPAC(2)) receptors that were functional as shown by VIP stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity.
Thus, to confirm this we analyzed the somatic mutations for hypervariable regions (HVR-I and HVR-II) in the D-loop of mtDNA to reevaluate the possibility of mitochondrial genetic instability in this cancer.