# GASTROINTESTINAL HORMONES IN GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 1988 · $17,500

## Abstract

The principle objective of the proposed research is to determine the
possible role of gastrin in its receptor (GR) in human large bowel and
stomach cancer.  In normal tissue, gastrin has trophic effects on the
gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa.  There is some evidence to suggest that
gastrin may stimulate the growth of some colorectal and stomach cancer
cells.  Our first aim is to test the hypothesis by studying the effects of
gastrin on growth of a transplantable mouse colon cancer (MC26), both in
vivo and in vitro.  We will also test the effects of gastrin on
macromolecular synthesis and cell division in human colon and stomach
cancer cell lines in tissue culture.  It is possible that not all
colorectal and stomach cancers and cultured cancer cell lines require or
are growth-responsive to gastrin.  These cancers and cells may have
decreased or absent GR.  To study this, we will measure the GR
concentration in different cultured cancer cell lines, examine the optimal
conditions for GR estimation, and compare GR characteristics with gastrin
responsiveness of the cell lines.  Regulation of GR concentration is one
mechanism by which growth of the cells could be regulated.  We have
observed an apparent cell cycle variation in GR by LoVo cancer cells.  We
plan to investigate whether this type of GR regulation occurs in other cell
lines and whether it is physiologically significant, i.e., does it alter
the sensitivity of the cell to gastrin?  We also plan to investigate
whether other peptide and steroid hormones alter the binding
characteristics and/or GR levels as a means of possible
synergistic/antagonistic effects on gastrin action on mucosal growth.  If
gastrin is shown to have an effect on cell growth, then the effects of
various chemotherapeutic agents on cell survival will be tested to examine
the possibility of combining hormonal stimulation and drug therapy as a
means of increasing cell kill.  GR will also be measured in membranes
prepared from GI tumor biopsy specimens to determine if variations in GR
concentrations occur in vivo.  Populations, binding, and structure of GR
will be examined in cancerous and normal gastric and colonic mucosa from
rats, mice, and humans to determine abnormal patterns in GR, if any, with
neoplastic change.  The experiments outlined in this proposal should
clarify the role of gastrin and GR in large bowel and stomach cancer and
may lead to better understanding of the factors influencing tumor growth.
Ultimately, it may be possible to select patients who would benefit from
endocrine manipulations.  It may also be possible to increase the
effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents by combining them with hormonal
treatment.  (C)

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3176793
- **Project number:** 3R01CA038651-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MSPWVMXXMN76
- **Principal Investigator:** Pomila Singh
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $17,500
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 1984-12-01 → 1988-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3176793

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3176793, GASTROINTESTINAL HORMONES IN GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER (3R01CA038651-03S1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3176793. Licensed CC0.

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