The effects of morphine on vascular cell adhesion molecule 1(VCAM-1) concentration in lung cancer cells

Abstract

Objective

Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) plays an important role in tumour cell adhesion to endothelial cells. Some tumour cells also show aberrant expression of VCAM‐1. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) agonists can increase VCAM-1 expression. Morphine, an opioid receptor agonist, is also a TLR4 agonist. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether morphine increase VCAM-1 expression in a TLR4 dependent manner.

Methods

A549 Lung cancer cells were treated with different doses of morphine and TLR4 antagonist for 24 and 48 h. TLR4 gene expression was evaluated by real-time PCR and VCAM-1 protein was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results

Morphine enhanced mRNA expression of TLR4 and protein level of VCAM-1. TLR4 antagonist returned VCAM-1expression to the normal level.

Conclusion

Morphine effects VCAM-1expressions via TLR4 in lung cancer cell line.

Keywords:

• Morphine
• TLR4
• VCAM-1
• lung cancer

Acknowledgement

The authors thank Dr Laleh Rafiei for excellent technical assistance.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest

Data availability statements

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, (Shaghayegh Haghjooy Javanmard, ORCID: 0000000238535006), upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work has been supported by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.