Adenosine Receptor Expression in Two Different Human Cancer Cell Lines at Molecular Level

Background: The metabolically active tumor cells may be characterized by a pronounced adenosine release that regulates the growth and development of the tumor. Consequently, the expression pattern of defined receptor subtypes will be an important determinant for specific effects of adenosine on the control of tumor cell growth. In recent studies, the expression profile, signal transduction, molecular function and cell growth modulation of adenosine receptors in the human breast cancer cell lines has been reported. To investigate the possible roles of adenosine receptors in other types of human cancers, in this study, we characterized the expression profile of adenosine receptors in two different human cancer cell lines: prostate carcinoma cell line (Du-145) and lung adenocarcinoma cell line (Calu-6). Our purpose is to test the hypothesis that diverse human cancer cell lines, according to their adenosine receptor subclass status, would show differential growth modulation. Methods: RNA was extracted and reverse transcribed to cDNA. PCR primers were synthesized from human adenosine receptor cDNA sequences. PCR was performed under optimized condition for each receptor subtype. The PCR products were separated on agarose gels. Results: All two human cancer cell lines studied contained detectable amounts of mRNA specific for adenosine receptor except A3 subtypes. Conclusion: In conclusion the differentially expressed genes identified in this study might provide new insights into the possible roles of adenosine receptors on cell growth and development.