title: Actions of growth factors on plasma calcium. Epidermal growth factor and human transforming growth factor-alpha cause elevation of plasma calcium in mice.
abstract: Specific humoral substances produced and secreted by human tumors that cause hypercalcemia have not been identified. Certain growth factors (such as epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and transforming growth factors-alpha and -beta) have been shown to stimulate the resorption of bone in organ culture by both prostaglandin-dependent and prostaglandin-independent pathways. In this report we demonstrate that epidermal growth factor and recombinant human transforming growth factor-alpha induce a significant rise in plasma calcium concentration when administered repeatedly to intact mice for periods ranging from 24 h to 16 d. The elevation of plasma calcium is not dependent on dietary calcium and is not invariably accompanied by an increase in systemic levels of the prostaglandin E2 metabolite 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin E2. The in vivo calcium-mobilizing activity of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-alpha indicate that these or related growth factors need be considered as potential mediators of tumor-induced hypercalcemia.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D015232:Dinoprostone; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000097:blood; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010455:Peptides; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors; D015232:Dinoprostone; D002118:Calcium