Because GRPR transactivates the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), we investigated induction by GRP of Akt, an EGFR-activated signaling pathway, and examined effects of GRP on viability of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells exposed to the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib.
Although GRP-R expression was detected in patients with NSCLC and in healthy volunteers, preproGRP and NMB-R expressions were not detected in patients with NSCLC and in healthy volunteers.
Additionally, we have detected transcripts for GRPR and NMBR in four of seven and seven of seven cases, respectively, of cultured non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC).