title: Oestrogen receptor expression and the effects of oestrogen and tamoxifen on the growth of human ovarian carcinoma cell lines.
abstract: To assess the role of oestrogen regulation in the growth of ovarian cancer, we examined the effects of an oestrogen, 17 beta-oestradiol, and an anti-oestrogen, tamoxifen, on oestrogen receptor (ER) -positive and -negative human ovarian carcinoma cell lines. As measured by a dextran-coated charcoal adsorption assay, cell lines PEO1, PEO4 and PEO6 possessed moderate concentrations of ER (96-132 fmol mg-1 protein), PEA1 and PEA2 had low values (12-23 fmol mg-1 protein) and PEO14, TO14, PEO23 and PEO16 were ER-negative. Addition of 17 beta-oestradiol (10 nM or 0.1 nM) to the ER +ve cell line, PEO4, increased the growth rate. This oestrogen stimulation could be blocked by 1 microM tamoxifen. In contrast, the growth rate of the ER -ve cell line PEO14 was unaffected by the addition of 17 beta-oestradiol or tamoxifen. Concentrations of tamoxifen in excess of 8 microM were required to produce complete cytostasis in all lines. This concentration of tamoxifen over 72 hours also inhibited 50% colony formation when cells were plated on plastic. These data indicate that some ovarian carcinoma cell lines contain ER and their growth can be sensitive to oestrogen and anti-oestrogen modulation.
authors.affiliation: ICRF Medical Oncology Unit, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Langdon
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hawkes
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lawrie
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Tesdale
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Crew
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Smyth
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000502:physiology*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen; D004958:Estradiol