The expression of β-adrenoceptors in human pancreatic cancer cell lines and their roles in cell invasiveness

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of β-adrenoceptors on norepi-nephrine-induced invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cell lines. Methods The expression of β-adrenocep-tors mRNA in human pancreatic cancer cell lines MiaPaCa-2 and BxPC3 was detected by using RT-PCR. The cells were randomly divided into control group.10 mol/L NE intervention group, 1 mol/L propranolol intervention group and NE + propranolol intervention group. After 48 h , transwell invasiveness test was used to examine the changes in invasive ability of MiaPaCa-2. The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF mRNA was measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The levels of MMP-2 , MMP-9 and VECF proteins were assayed by immunocytochemistry. Results Both MiaPaCa-2 and BxPC3 expressed β1-and β2-adrenocep-tors. The absorbance ( A) values of invasive cells in NE, NE + propranolol, propranolol and control groups were 0.78±0.02 ,0.32±0.03 ,0.26±0.01 and 0.28±0.02 , respectively, and those in NE intervention group were significantly higher than in control and NE + propranolol groups ( P <0.05) . There was no sig-nificant difference in the number of invasive cells between propranolol and control groups ( P > 0. 05) . In NE group , the expression index of MMP-2 , MMP-9 and VEGF mRNA was 0. 87±0.02 , 1.04±0.02 and 0. 92±0. 01 , and the gray value of the protein expression was 131.20±2.34,105.32±7.21 and 115.60 ±5. 03 , respectively, which were higher than those in control and NE + propranolol groups ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression levels of MMP-2 , MMP-9 and VEGF mRNA and pro-tein between propranolol and control groups ( P>0.05 ) . Conclusion β-adrenoceptors play an important role in the process of norepinephrine-induced invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells. NE can promote the invasiveness of MiaPaCa-2 through up-regulating the expression of MMP-2 , MMP-9 and VEGF via β-adre-noceptors.