title: Role of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in basal and hormone-stimulated growth by estradiol, prolactin and progesterone in human and rat mammary tumor cells: studies using TGF-alpha and EGF receptor antibodies.
abstract: The biological role of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in basal and hormone-stimulated proliferation of primary human and rat mammary tumor cells was studied using antibodies against TGF-alpha and its receptor. A monoclonal antibody, MAb-425 against human EGF receptor was added to in vitro soft agar, clonogenic cultures of human breast carcinoma cells under basal and estradiol(E2)-stimulated conditions. The antibody had an antagonist effect on colony growth in 4 of 10 tumors and an agonist effect in 4 (72 and 153% of control). E2-stimulated colony growth in 5 tumors (167% of control) and the antibody blocked E2-stimulation in 3 of the 5. Inhibition of E2-stimulated growth in 3 and basal growth in 4 other tumors by the EGF receptor antibody suggest that endogenously secreted TGF-alpha has a role as an autocrine/paracrine growth factor in constitutive and E2-stimulated tumor cell proliferation in a majority of human tumors. A polyclonal antibody against TGF-alpha was used to study the role of TGF-alpha in E2-, prolactin(Prl)- and progesterone(Prog)-stimulated proliferation of NMU(nitrosomethylurea)-induced rat mammary tumor cells under similar culture conditions. TGF-alpha, E2, Prl and Prog stimulated colony growth equally to 176, 187, 168 and 181% of control. The antibody produced significant and similar inhibition of TGF-alpha and E2-stimulated growth (95 and 83%). In contrast, inhibition of Prl- and Prog-stimulated growth by the antibody was only 24 and 37%. The TGF-alpha ligand antibody did not have an agonist or antagonist effect when added alone. Thus, TGF-alpha seems to be a major stimulatory growth factor mediating E2-induced tumor cell proliferation in rat mammary tumors. It is less important in Prl- and Prog-induced tumor growth and not essential for basal growth in these tumors. We conclude that TGF-alpha is a biologically important autocrine/paracrine growth factor in primary human breast cancer cell proliferation and in E2-induced rat mammary tumor growth.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey 17033.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Badger
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000276:immunology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011388:Prolactin; D066246:ErbB Receptors