Research to prevent the progression of colorectal cancer reveals the key role of hypothalamic oxytocin neurons

Globally, colorectal cancer is the third most common malignant tumor and the second leading cause of cancer death

Recently, Professor Zhang Guo and Professor Jiang Man from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, researcher Xu Ningzhi and Associate Researcher Liu Mei from the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences published research papers in eLife, providing a new theoretical basis for the treatment of colorectal cancer

The team used chemical genetics, pharmacology, electrophysiology, genetically engineered mice, and colorectal cancer mouse models to reveal the oxytocin (Oxytocin, Oxt) nerve in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus.

In this work, the team found that Oxt neurons that damage the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus can promote the progression of colorectal cancer associated with ulcerative colitis in mice

▲Using chemical genetics method to activate hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus oxytocin neurons can inhibit the progression of colorectal cancer in mice (picture source: reference [1])

Further research on the mechanism showed that the anti-tumor effect of activating Oxt neurons depends on its role in the central nervous system

▲The signal that the paraventricular nucleus oxytocin neurons regulate neuronal activity in CG-SMG is transmitted through the preganglionic nerve fibers of the sympathetic nerve (picture source: reference [1])

The study found that intracranial injection of triptolide (celastrol) can inhibit the progression of colorectal cancer in mice by activating Oxt neurons

Note: The original text has been deleted

Reference materials:

[1] Susu Pan et al.