Increased expression of the peptide hormone relaxin has been reported in various cancers. Relaxin increases the invasiveness and proliferation of cancer cells. The G-protein coupled receptor for relaxin, RXFP1, is expressed in prostrate cancers. Feng and colleagues injected small interfering RNA into two prostrate adenocarcinoma cell lines and found that RXFP1 expression was downregulated, leading to a reduction in tumour growth in mice with the cell lines transplanted. Increased necrosis or apoptosis and decreased cell proliferation was observed, resulting in reduced tumour growth and a decreased metastasis rate, highlighting RXFP1 as a potential target in prostate cancer therapy. Read the full article in Feng et al. (2010) Endocrine-Related Cancer 17 1021–1033.

DOI:10.1677/ERC-10-0073