Transforming growth factor release by human tumor cell lines and their interactions with other growth factors

Anticancer Res. 1989 Jul-Aug;9(4):1245-8.

Abstract

We have studied the production of transforming growth factor (TGF) by several human tumor cell lines and their interactions with exogenously added epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin. TGF-like activities were present in all the conditioned media tested. The clonogenic capacity of the tumor cell lines had no correlation with the TGF-like activity production. EGF and insulin had a promoting colony-forming activity on tumor cells but this effect was not additive. Moreover, an inverse statistically significant correlation (-0.817, p less than 0.05) was found between the response to exogenous EGF and the EGF or TGF-alpha production by tumor cell lines. The EGF receptor (EGF-R) was not detected in any of the melanomas studied, nor in breast adenocarcinoma cell lines which were producers of EGF or TGF-alpha.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Division
  • Cell Line
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / pharmacology
  • ErbB Receptors / analysis
  • Humans
  • Insulin / pharmacology
  • Transforming Growth Factors / biosynthesis*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / drug effects
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / metabolism*
  • Tumor Stem Cell Assay

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Epidermal Growth Factor
  • Transforming Growth Factors
  • ErbB Receptors