title: Growth of a human breast cancer cell line in serum-free hormone-supplemented medium.
abstract: ZR-75-1, a human breast cancer cell line, has been grown in hormone-supplemented medium without serum. The factors required for optimal growth include 17beta-estradiol, insulin, transferrin, dexamethasone, and L-triiodothyronine. If estradiol, insulin, or L-triiodothyronine is omitted, cells cease division within 7 days, but viability is retained for at least 14 days. Omission of transferrin leads to cell death within 7 days. The cells have been continuously maintained in this environment without morphological alteration or cessation of growth for more than 5 months. Addition of the anti-estrogen, Tamoxifen (10(-6) M), inhibited cells below the growth rate seen when estradiol was omitted from the medium, even when Tamoxifen was added 4 days and two medium changes after the removal of estradiol from the medium, thus suggesting an action of Tamoxifen which may be independent of competition with estradiol. The availability of a human breast cancer cell line that can be propagated in hormone-supplemented medium without serum should aid in the study of the mechanisms by which hormones effect cell growth.
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000473:pathology*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D014168:Transferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007328:Insulin; D014168:Transferrin; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013629:Tamoxifen; D004958:Estradiol; D003907:Dexamethasone