Bombesin-like peptides as growth factors.

Bombesin-like peptides (BN-LP) are involved in the regulation of many important functions, including sensory transmission, regulation of central autonomic pathways, thermoregulation, pituitary, gastric and pancreatic secretion, food intake and satiety. They also stimulate cellular proliferation in a developmental and tissue-specific manner. Their role in pathogenesis appears to be related to their properties as growth factors, especially in the lung, where BN-LP can induce growth of normal and neoplastic epithelial cells. The formulated hypothesis of autocrine control of small cell lung cancer growth by BN-LP will be tested using specific synthetic bombesin antagonists.