A3 adenosine receptor agonist inhibits colon cancer growth.

2004 JAN 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The A3 adenosine receptor agonist CF101 inhibits primary colon carcinoma growth and liver metastasis.

According to recent research published in the British Journal of Cancer, "Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that acts as a regulatory molecule by binding to specific G-protein-coupled A1, A[subscript]2A, A[subscript]2B, and A3 cell surface receptors. We have recently demonstrated that adenosine inhibits tumor cell growth and concomitantly stimulates bone marrow cell proliferation via activation of the A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR). In the present study, we show that a synthetic agonist to the A3AR, CF101, at the low nanomolar concentration range, inhibits HCT-116 human colon carcinoma cell growth."

"This effect was reversed by the selective A3AR antagonist MRS1523, demonstrating the specificity of the response," reported Gil Ohana and colleagues at Tel Aviv University. "CF101 (given orally) was efficacious in inhibiting the development of primary tumors in xenograft and syngeneic models in which mice were inoculated subcutaneously with human HCT-116 or murine CT-26 colon carcinoma cells, respectively. Moreover, CF101 suppressed (50%, p

"In the HCT-116 xenograft model in which a combined therapy of CF101 and 5-fluorouracyl (5-FU) was examined, an additive antitumor effect was demonstrated," stated the researchers. "Moreover, CF101 prevented the 5-FU-induced myelotoxicity, resulting in normal values ...