Open Access

β2‑adrenergic receptor expression and the effects of norepinephrine and propranolol on various head and neck cancer subtypes

  • Authors:
    • Soon Young Kwon
    • Kyung Ju Chun
    • Hong Kwon Kil
    • Narae Jung
    • Hyun-Ah Shin
    • Jeon Yeob Jang
    • Hyo Geun Choi
    • Kyoung-Ho Oh
    • Min-Su Kim
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: September 23, 2021     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2021.13065
  • Article Number: 804
  • Copyright: © Kwon et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate expression of β2‑adrenergic receptor (AR), the effect of the stress‑related neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) on cell viability, proliferation and the therapeutic effect of propranolol, which is a typical β‑blocker in various type of head and neck cancers for the first time. The β2‑AR expression was investigated using immunohistochemistry and an immunoreactive scoring (IRS) system in 57 different head and neck cancer specimens, and reverse transcriptase‑polymerase chain reaction and western blotting in four head and neck cancer cell lines (HNCCLs). Cell viability and proliferation assays were performed using 0, 1, 5 and 10 µM of NE and 1 µM of propranolol in four HNCCLs. The expression of β2‑AR was positive in the majority of head and neck cancer tissues (55/57, 96.5%); however, it was significantly higher in oral cavity cancer than in pharyngeal cancer (median IRS: 9 vs. 3; P<0.001). All HNCCLs exhibited β2‑AR expression, with a higher expression level detected in the oral cavity cancer cell line than in the others. NE stimulated viability (oral cavity, 206%; larynx, 156%; pharynx, 130%; nasal cavity, 137%; 10 µM NE) and proliferation (124, 176, 131 and 127%, respectively) in a dose‑dependent manner in all HNCCLs. Conversely, propranolol attenuated such viability (55, 42, 18 and 22%, respectively) and proliferation (22, 40, 61 and 48%, respectively). In conclusion, the viability and proliferation of various head and neck cancers may be directly stimulated by stress and this may be attenuated by β‑blockers.
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November-2021
Volume 22 Issue 5

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Spandidos Publications style
Kwon SY, Chun KJ, Kil HK, Jung N, Shin H, Jang JY, Choi HG, Oh K and Kim M: β2‑adrenergic receptor expression and the effects of norepinephrine and propranolol on various head and neck cancer subtypes. Oncol Lett 22: 804, 2021
APA
Kwon, S.Y., Chun, K.J., Kil, H.K., Jung, N., Shin, H., Jang, J.Y. ... Kim, M. (2021). β2‑adrenergic receptor expression and the effects of norepinephrine and propranolol on various head and neck cancer subtypes. Oncology Letters, 22, 804. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2021.13065
MLA
Kwon, S. Y., Chun, K. J., Kil, H. K., Jung, N., Shin, H., Jang, J. Y., Choi, H. G., Oh, K., Kim, M."β2‑adrenergic receptor expression and the effects of norepinephrine and propranolol on various head and neck cancer subtypes". Oncology Letters 22.5 (2021): 804.
Chicago
Kwon, S. Y., Chun, K. J., Kil, H. K., Jung, N., Shin, H., Jang, J. Y., Choi, H. G., Oh, K., Kim, M."β2‑adrenergic receptor expression and the effects of norepinephrine and propranolol on various head and neck cancer subtypes". Oncology Letters 22, no. 5 (2021): 804. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2021.13065