Cholinergic signaling influences the expression of immune checkpoint inhibitors, PD-L1 and PD-L2, and tumor hallmarks in human colorectal cancer tissues and cell lines.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cancer cells express immunosuppressive molecules, such as programmed death ligands (PD-L)1 and PD-L2, enabling evasion from the host's immune system. Cancer cells synthesize and secrete acetylcholine (ACh), acting as an autocrine or paracrine hormone to promote their proliferation, differentiation, and migration.

Methods

We correlated the expression of PD-L1, PD-L2, cholinergic muscarinic receptor 3 (M3R), alpha 7 nicotinic receptor (α7nAChR), and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues with the stage of disease, gender, age, risk, and patient survival. The effects of a muscarinic receptor blocker, atropine, and a selective M3R blocker, 4-DAMP, on the expression of immunosuppressive and cholinergic markers were evaluated in human CRC (L

SUBMITTER: Kuol N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10568879 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature