Characterization of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone receptor type I (LH-RH-I) as a potential molecular target in OCM-1 and OCM-3 human uveal melanoma cell lines

Eva Sipos; Nikoletta Dobos; David Rozsa; Klara Fodor; Gabor Olah; Zsuzsanna Szabo; Lorant Szekvolgyi; Andrew V Schally; Gabor Halmos

doi:10.2147/OTT.S148174

Characterization of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone receptor type I (LH-RH-I) as a potential molecular target in OCM-1 and OCM-3 human uveal melanoma cell lines

Onco Targets Ther. 2018 Feb 22:11:933-941. doi: 10.2147/OTT.S148174. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Eva Sipos¹, Nikoletta Dobos¹, David Rozsa¹, Klara Fodor¹, Gabor Olah¹, Zsuzsanna Szabo¹, Lorant Szekvolgyi^{2

3}, Andrew V Schally^{4

5

6

7}, Gabor Halmos^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biopharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
² MTA-DE Momentum, Genome Architecture and Recombination Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary.
³ Research Centre for Molecular Medicine; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Debrecen, Hungary.
⁴ Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA.
⁵ Department of Pathology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
⁶ Department of Medicine, Divisions of Hematology-Oncology and Endocrinology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
⁷ Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy with very poor prognosis. Conventional chemotherapy only rarely prolongs the survival, therefore patients require novel treatment modalities. The discovery of specific receptors for hypothalamic hormones on cancer cells has led to the development of radiolabeled and cytotoxic hormone analogs.

Materials and methods: In the present study, our aim was to investigate the expression of mRNA for receptors of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone type I (LH-RH-I) and LH-RH ligand in OCM-1 and OCM-3 human uveal melanoma cell lines. The presence and binding characteristics of LH-RH-I receptor protein was further studied by Western blot, immunocytochemistry and ligand competition assay. The expression of mRNA and protein for LH-RH-I receptors has been also studied using tumor samples originating from nude mice xenografted with OCM-1 or OCM-3 cells.

Results: The mRNA for LH-RH-I receptor has been detected in OCM-1 and OCM-3 cell lines and was found markedly higher in OCM-3 cells. The mRNA for LH-RH-I receptors was also observed in both UM xenograft models in vivo with higher levels in OCM-3. The presence of LH-RH-I receptor protein was found in both cell lines in vitro by immunocytochemistry and Western blot, and also in tumor tissue samples grown in nude mice by Western blot. Both human uveal melanoma models investigated showed specific high affinity receptors for LH-RH-I using ligand competition assay. The mRNA for LH-RH ligand has also been detected in OCM-1 and OCM-3 cell lines and cancer tissues.

Conclusion: The demonstration of the expression of LH-RH-I receptors in OCM-1 and OCM-3 human UM cell lines suggests that they could serve as potential molecular target for therapy. Our findings support the development of new therapeutic approaches based on cytotoxic LH-RH analogs or modern powerful antagonistic analogs of LH-RH targeting LH-RH-I receptors in UM.

Keywords: LH-RH ligand; LH-RH receptor; human uveal melanoma; targeted cancer therapy.