Table 2 Effects of OT analogues on breast cancer cell proliferation in vitro.

From: The oxytocin receptor signalling system and breast cancer: a critical review

Cell lines

Ligands

Conditions

Effects

Reference

HMEC, B-TEC

OT, 10−9–10−6 M

10% FCS or serum free, medium changed every 48 h

Stimulation (proliferation & migration)

[91]

MCF-7

OT, 10−11–10−9 M

2.5% FCS

Stimulation

[59]

VP, 10−8 M

Inhibition

VP, 10−11–10−9 M

Stimulation

MCF-7

OT, 10−7 M

2% FCS in medium with E2 or CS-FCS in phenol red-free medium

Inhibition

[92]

MCF-7, SK-BR-3

VP, 10−8 M

5% CS-FCS

Stimulation

[93]a

Desmopressin, 10−8 M

Inhibition

MDA-MB-231

OT, 10−7 M

10% FCS

Inhibition

[94]

MDA-MB-231, MCF-7

OT, 10−7 M

10% FCS for 5 days

Proliferation inhibition, differentiation stimulation

[40]

MDA-MB-231

OT, 10−9 M, 10−8 M, 10−7 M AT, 10−8 M, 5 × 10−8 M

5% FCS, medium changed every 24 h

Inhibition

MCF-7, T47D

OT, 10−7 M, 10−8 M

5% FCS, medium changed every 24 h

No effects

10% FCS, E2, TAM, medium changed every 24 h

Inhibition

MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-361, MDA-MB-468, MCF-7

OT, 10−9 M, 10−7 M

5% FCS

No effects

[88]

Hs578T

OT, unspecified concentration

Not available

No significant short-term effects

[90]

MCF7, TS/A (mouse)

LVT, 10−8 M, 10−7 M 10−6 M DOTA-LVT, 10−8 M, 10−7 M 10−6 M

10% FCS

Inhibition No effects

[100]b

MDA-MB-231 TS/A (mouse)

OT, 10−8 M, 10−7 M

10% FCS

Inhibition

[68]

TS/A (mouse) D-R3230AC (rat)

OT, AT, 10−8 M

10% FCS

Inhibition

[96]

CMT-U27 (canine)

OT, Desmopressin, 10−6 M

10% FBS

Inhibition

[153]

  1. HMEC human dermal microvascular endothelial cells, B-TEC tumour-associated endothelial cells purified from human breast carcinomas, FCS (FBS) fetal calf (bovine) serum, CS-FCS charcoal-stripped FCS, E2 17β-estrodial, TAM tamoxifen, AT atosiban, OT oxytocin, VP vasopressin, only two amino acids different from OT at position 3 and 8, functions via vasopressin receptors V1aR, V1bR, and V2R, also can activate OTR; Desmopressin 1-(3-mercaptopropionic acid)−8-D-arginine-vasopressin (V1bR/V2R agonist), an analogue of VP with longer half-life and improved selectivity for V2R; LVT, Lys8-vasotocin, DOTA-LVT 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N’,N”,N”’-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) Lys8-vasotocin.
  2. aStudy focused on VP and its receptors.
  3. bStudy developed a radio-labelled ligand targeting OTR-expressing tumours, proliferation effects of the two ligands were also assessed.