title: Control of proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells in a commercial preparation of charcoal-stripped adult bovine serum.
abstract: A commercial preparation of charcoal-stripped adult bovine serum was used to culture MCF-7 cells in estrogen-free media. Use of this stripped adult bovine serum represents an alternative to calf serum which is in more limited supply, and saves charcoal-stripping of serum in the laboratory, which can be a rate-limiting step in the preparation of materials for estrogen-free tissue culture. MCF-7 cell proliferation was controlled by estrogens, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and lithium chloride in adult bovine serum as well as in standard media prepared with charcoal-stripped calf serum, and approximately the same fold-increase in response to the tested agents was observed in the two sera. Although the growth rates were lower in media prepared with adult bovine serum, MCF-7 cells in both media exhibited the same sensitivities in dose-responses to these three mitogens. Levels of estrogen and progesterone receptors, and the magnitude of estrogen-dependent stimulation of the progesterone receptors, were similar in cells maintained in both sera. Therefore, a commercially stripped adult bovine serum can be used to replace calf serum in the study of estrogenic responses and the control of proliferation in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia 65211.
authors.forename: W V
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Welshons
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Grady
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Engler
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Judy
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D008094:Lithium