A putative growth factor in extract from uterine cancers.
Extracts from uterine cervical and corpus cancers, but not from benign tumor or intact tissues tested, were found to contain a growth-promoting activity which induced the proliferation of human endometrial fibroblasts. Exposure of cultured fibroblasts to the cancer extracts increased the rate of [3H]thymidine incorporation in a dose-dependent manner. The activity was heat-labil, and not inacticated by removal lipid-soluble fraction, suggesting that the activity is associated with a protein. However, the cancer extract failed to stimulate phosphoinositide turnover. The substance(s) present in the uterine cancer extracts may activate endometrial fibroblasts proliferation through the transmembrane signaling mechanisms other than phosphoinositide turnover. The bindings of previously identified growth factors including somatomedine C, thrombin, insulin, fibroblast growth factor were not inhibited by the extracts. This is the first report to provide direct evidence that malignant uterine tumor may produce and secrete a putative growth factor-like peptide.
Matsunami
K
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Imai
A
A
Tamaya
T
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000032:analysis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007295:Inositol Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*; D014599:Uterus / Q000032:analysis
D006133:Growth Substances; D007295:Inositol Phosphates; D013936:Thymidine