Influence of culture conditions on the estrogenic cell growth stimulation of human breast cancer cells.
17 beta-Estradiol is a potent mitogen for hormone-dependent cell lines (MCF-7, T47D and ZR 75.1). However, the degree of hormone sensitivity is very much influenced by culture conditions. In order to understand which factors modulate estrogenic effects on cell growth, four different culture conditions were used: (a) medium with dextran-coated charcoal-treated fetal calf serum (DCC-FCS); (b) medium with dextran-coated charcoal-treated growth factor-inactivated serum (DCC-FCSd); (c) serum-free medium, after a 24-h incubation with serum to allow cell attachment; and (d) serum-free medium on collagen IV-treated plates. In all cell lines the highest cell growth stimulation was achieved when estradiol was added in the presence of 5% DCC-FCS, whereas reducing or removing serum from the culture medium resulted in a decrease in cell proliferation stimulation. We postulate that serum contains some still unknown components able to modulate the degree of estrogenic action in endocrine-dependent breast cancer cell lines.
Ruedl
C
C
Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
Cappelletti
V
V
Coradini
D
D
Granata
G
G
Di Fronzo
G
G
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D003470:Culture Media; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis
D003470:Culture Media; D006133:Growth Substances; D007328:Insulin; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D004958:Estradiol