Effects of cytostatic agents on the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in ovarian cancer cells.
The effects of cytostatic agents on proliferation and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) expression were examined in the ovarian carcinoma cell line OVCAR-3. These cells were found to express about 84,000 high-affinity EGF binding sites per cell. Treatment of OVCAR-3 cells with cisplatin, etoposide or epirubicin for two hours resulted in a marked augmentation of EGF-R expression and growth inhibition, on the other hand, incubation with substances blocking RNA or protein synthesis, actinomycin-D and cycloheximide, resulted in a reduction of both EGF-R expression and growth rate. An up-regulation of EGF-R has thus been shown only for DNA-affecting agents, but not for those inhibiting transcription or translation. This response may be explained as a frustrated escape mechanism of the cancer cell to cytotoxic agents.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Innsbuck University Hospital, Austria.
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Lang
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Daxenbichler
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Marth
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001665:Binding Sites; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D002945:Cisplatin