PPARα agonists stimulate progastrin production in human colorectal carcinoma cells

The three subtypes of peroxisome proliferator activated-receptors (PPARα, δ and γ) control the storage and metabolism of fatty acids. Treatment of rats with the PPARα ligand ciprofibrate increases serum gastrin concentrations, and several lines of evidence suggest that non-amidated gastrins act as growth factors for the colonic mucosa. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of PPARs and the effect of PPAR ligands on gastrin production and cell proliferation in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC) cell lines. mRNAs for all three PPAR subtypes were detected by PCR in all CRC cell lines tested. The concentrations of progastrin, but not of glycine-extended or amidated gastrin, measured by radioimmunoassay in LIM 1899 conditioned media and cell extracts were significantly increased by treatment with the PPARα ligand clofibrate. Similar increases in progastrin were seen following treatment with the PPARα ligands ciprofibrate and fenofibrate, but not with bezafibrate, gemfibrozil or Wy 14643. The PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone had no significant effect on progastrin production. The PPARα ligand clofibrate also stimulated proliferation of the LIM 1899 cell line. We conclude that some PPARα ligands increase progastrin production by the human CRC cell line LIM 1899, and that clofibrate increases proliferation of LIM 1899 cells. These studies have revealed a relationship between PPARs and gastrin, two regulatory molecules implicated in the pathogenesis of CRC.