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The substance P/NK-1 receptor system: NK-1 receptor antagonists as anti-cancer drugs

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Abstract

The substance P (SP)/neurokinin (NK)-1 receptor system plays an important role in cancer. SP promotes the proliferation of tumour cells, angiogenesis and the migration of tumour cells. We review the involvement of SP, the NK-1 receptor and NK-1 receptor antagonists in cancer. Tumour cells overexpress NK-1 receptors, which are involved in their viability. This overexpression suggests the possibility of specific treatment against tumour cells using NK-1 receptor antagonists, thus promoting a considerable decrease in the side effects of the treatment. This strategy opens up new approaches for cancer treatment, since these antagonists, after binding to their molecular target, induce the death of tumour cells by apoptosis, exert an antiangiogenic action and inhibit the migration of tumour cells. The use of NK-1 receptor antagonists such as aprepitant (used in clinical practice) as antitumour agents could be a promising innovation. The value of aprepitant as an antitumour agent could be determined faster than for less well-known compounds because many studies addressing its safety and characterization have already been completed. The NK-1 receptor may be a promising target in the treatment of cancer; NK-1 receptor antagonists could act as specific drugs against tumour cells; and these antagonists could be new candidate anti-cancer drugs.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Javier Muñoz (University of Sevilla, Spain), Dr Julio Parrilla and Dr Luis G Luque-Romero for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides, Vírgen del Rocío University Hospital, Sevilla, Spain

    Miguel Muñoz

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Vírgen del Rocío University Hospital, Sevilla, Spain

    Francisco Esteban

  3. Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León (INCYL), Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems (Lab. 14), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Rafael Coveñas

  4. Biochemistry Department, Costa del Sol Hospital, University of Málaga, REDISSEC, Marbella, Spain

    Maximino Redondo

Authors
  1. Miguel Muñoz
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  2. Rafael Coveñas
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  3. Francisco Esteban
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  4. Maximino Redondo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Miguel Muñoz.

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Corresponding editor: Sorab N Dalal

[Muñoz M, Coveñas R, Esteban F and Redondo M 2015 The substance P/NK-1 receptor system: NK-1 receptor antagonists as anti-cancer drugs. J. Biosci. 40 1–23] DOI 10.1007/s12038-015-9530-8

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Muñoz, M., Coveñas, R., Esteban, F. et al. The substance P/NK-1 receptor system: NK-1 receptor antagonists as anti-cancer drugs. J Biosci 40, 441–463 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-015-9530-8

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