Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2008 Feb;15(1):58-64.
doi: 10.1097/MED.0b013e3282f3709b.

Bombesin-related peptides and their receptors: recent advances in their role in physiology and disease states

Nieves Gonzalez  1 , Terry W Moody, Hisato Igarashi, Tetsuhide Ito, Robert T Jensen
Affiliations
Review

Bombesin-related peptides and their receptors: recent advances in their role in physiology and disease states

Nieves Gonzalez et al. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2008 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Mammalian bombesin-related peptides, gastrin-releasing peptide and neuromedin B actions are mediated by two receptors (BB1-receptor, BB2-receptor), which are closely related to the orphan receptor BRS-3 (BB3-receptor). The purpose of this review is to highlight advances in the understanding of these peptides in physiology/disease states.

Recent findings: Pharmacologic/receptor-knockout studies show involvement of these receptors in a number of new processes/diseases. Neuromedin B/BB1-receptor is an important physiological regulator of pituitary-thyroid function; in mediating behavior, especially feas/anxiety; in mediating satiety through different cascades than gastrin-releasing peptide/BB2 receptors and for its autocrine tumor-growth effects. Gastrin-releasing peptide/BB2-receptor plays important roles in mediating signals for pruritus, lung development/injury, small intestinal mucosal defense, and central nervous system processes such as learning/memory. The signaling mechanisms of its potent growth effects are being elucidated and their possible therapeutic targets identified. BB3-receptor knockout mice provided insights for their obesity/glucose intolerance and demonstrated that this receptor may be important in the lung response to injury, tumor growth and gastrointestinal motility. Each receptor is frequently overexpressed in human tumors and has potent growth effects. This effect is being explored to develop new antitumor treatments, such as bombesin-receptor ligands conjugated to cytotoxic agents.

Summary: This receptor family is involved in an increasing number of central nervous system/peripheral processes physiologically and in disease states, and increased understanding of its role may lead to novel treatments.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Erspamer V, Erspamer GF, Inselvini M, Negri L. Occurrence of bombesin and alytesin in extracts of the skin of three European discoglossid frogs and pharmacological actions of bombesin on extravascular smooth muscle. Br J Pharmacol. 1972;45:333–348. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Erspamer V. Discovery, isolation and characterization of bombesin-like peptides. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1988;547:3–9. - PubMed
    1. Jensen RT, Battey JF, Spindel ER, et al. International Union of Pharmacology. The bombesin Receptors: Nomenclature, distribution, pharmacology, signaling and functions in normal and disease states. Pharmacol Rev. 2007 In press. - PMC - PubMed

    1. An up-to-date comprehensive review of the cell biology, pharmacology and physiology of GRP and NMB and their receptors.

    1. Ryan RR, Weber HC, Mantey SA, et al. Pharmacology and intracellular signaling mechanisms of the native human orphan receptor BRS-3 in lung cancer cells. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1998;287:366–380. - PubMed

Publication types