title: [Evaluation of steroid hormone sensitivity of human breast cancer cells in culture (MCF-7) by a colony formation method].
abstract: The effects of steroid hormones on the colony forming activity of a human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) were studied. Endrogeneous estrogens in the fetal calf sera used for culture were deprived using the dextran-coated charcoal, and only batches of E2-deprived serum were chosen with which there was a significant increase in the plating efficiency after E2 (estradiol-17 beta, 10(-8) M) treatment. Progesterone showed little effect on the growth of the cells. not being influenced by the addition of E2. The capacity of the cells to form colonies was stimulated by androgens (5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, testosterone) only in the absence of E2. Dexamethasone had suppressive effects regardless presence of E2. Thus, MCF-7 cells showed variable responses to these steroid hormones, although the cells have specific receptors to the hormones. This colony formation method of MCF-7 cells may be a useful model system for the study of hormonal and non-hormonal anti-cancer agents.
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000473:pathology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol