Anticancer Activity of a New Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Analogue

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) has a pivotal role in the biology of reproduction processes. In extrapituitary compartments GnRH and its receptor act as a part of the autocrin regulatory system of cell proliferation, resulting in its anticancer activity. Here the anticancer activity of a new analogue of GnRH has been investigated. Results indicate that proliferation of human breast and ovarian cancer cell lines is dose-dependently inhibited. The inhibitory efficiency of this new analogue is proved to be higher than the original triptorelin. In addition to its antimitogenic activity, evidence was found for the involvement of the apoptotic mechanism in the action of the new analogue. Furthermore the presence of chemical groups in the peptide sequence is thought to increase the protease stability of the new analogue in comparison with triptorelin. Consequently our new analogue can be considered as a good pharmaceutical candidate. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 94: 292-297, 2010.