The in vitro influences of neurotensin on the motility characteristics of human U373 glioblastoma cells.

Abstract

Astrocytic tumours are associated with dismal prognoses due to their pronounced ability to diffusely invade the brain parenchyma. Various neuropeptides, including gastrin, are able to modulate tumour astrocyte migration. While neurotensin has been shown to influence the proliferation of glioma cells and the migratory ability of a large set of other cell types, its role in glioma cell migration has never been investigated. Neurotensin-induced modifications to the motility features of human U373 glioblastoma cells therefore constitute the topic of the present study. We evidenced that three subtypes of neurotensin receptors (NTR1, NTR2 and NTR3) are expressed in U373 glioblastoma cells, at least as far as their mRNAs are concerned. Treating U373 tumour cells with 10 nM neurotensin markedly modified the morphological patterns of these cells and also profoundly altered the organization of their actin cytoskeletons. Pull-down assays revealed that neurotensin induced the activation in U373 cells of both Rac1 and Cdc42 but not RhoA. Scratch wound assays evidenced that neurotensin (0.1 and 10 nM) very significantly inhibited wound colonization by U373 cells cultured in the absence of serum. In addition, quantitative phase-contrast videomicroscopy analyses showed that neurotensin decreases the motility levels of U373 glioblastoma cells when these cells are cultured on plastic. In sharp contrast, neurotensin stimulates the motility of U373 cells when they are cultured on laminin, which is a pro-adhesive extracellular matrix component ubiquitously secreted by glioma cells. Our data thus strongly suggest that, in addition to gastrin, neurotensin is a neuropeptide capable of modulating tumour astrocyte migration into the brain parenchyma.

• Authors: S Servotte, I Camby, O Debeir, C Deroanne, C A Lambert, C M Lapière, R Kiss, B Nusgens, C Decaestecker
• Journal: Neuropathology and applied neurobiology (Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol) Vol. 32 Issue 6 Pg. 575-84 (Dec 2006) ISSN: 0305-1846 [Print] England
• PMID: 17083472 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Actins
• RNA, Messenger
• Receptors, Neurotensin
• Neurotensin
• cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein
• rac1 GTP-Binding Protein
• rhoA GTP-Binding Protein

Topics

• Actins (metabolism)
• Brain Neoplasms (metabolism)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Movement (physiology)
• Cytoskeleton (metabolism)
• Enzyme Activation (physiology)
• Glioblastoma (metabolism)
• Humans
• In Vitro Techniques
• Microscopy, Phase-Contrast
• Microscopy, Video
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Neurotensin (metabolism)
• RNA, Messenger (analysis)
• Receptors, Neurotensin (biosynthesis)
• cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein (metabolism)
• rac1 GTP-Binding Protein (metabolism)
• rhoA GTP-Binding Protein (metabolism)