Quinn K A, Treston A M, Scott F M, Kasprzyk P G, Avis I, Siegfried J M, Mulshine J L, Cuttitta F
Biomarkers and Prevention Research Branch Control, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland 20889.
Cancer Cells. 1991 Dec;3(12):504-10.
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), the most common neuroendocrine tumor in humans, provides an excellent model system for analyzing the role of growth factors in lung cancer. SCLCs secrete a wide range of peptide hormones, including some that stimulate tumor cell growth, such as gastrin-releasing peptide and insulin-like growth factor I. Many of these peptides are synthesized as prohormones that acquire biological activity only after specific post-translational modifications. Here, we review our current understanding of the biological role of neuroendocrine peptides in lung carcinogenesis and consider how a mechanistic knowledge of one particular modification, carboxy-terminal alpha-amidation, may permit identification of novel growth factors for lung cancer cells. We also describe potential applications of this knowledge as a basis for prevention-oriented approaches to the disease.
小细胞肺癌（SCLC）是人类最常见的神经内分泌肿瘤，为分析生长因子在肺癌中的作用提供了一个极佳的模型系统。小细胞肺癌分泌多种肽类激素，包括一些刺激肿瘤细胞生长的激素，如胃泌素释放肽和胰岛素样生长因子I。这些肽类中的许多都是以前体激素的形式合成的，只有经过特定的翻译后修饰才获得生物活性。在这里，我们综述了目前对神经内分泌肽在肺癌发生中的生物学作用的理解，并思考关于一种特定修饰——羧基末端α-酰胺化的机制知识如何有助于识别肺癌细胞的新型生长因子。我们还描述了这一知识作为该疾病预防导向方法基础的潜在应用。
