title: Effects of ethanol and basic fibroblast growth factor on the transforming growth factor beta1 regulated proliferation of cortical astrocytes and C6 astrocytoma cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of ethanol on transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1)-regulated proliferation of primary cultured cortical astrocytes and C6 astrocytoma cells were determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cultured cells were treated with TGFbeta1 (0 or 10 ng/ml) and ethanol (0 or 400 mg/dl) for as many as 4 days. The effects of these treatments on cell growth (the change in cell number) and cell proliferation (incorporation of [3H]thymidine) were determined. In addition, the effects of serum and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on TGFbeta1-affected cell proliferation were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both TGFbeta1 and ethanol inhibited cell growth and proliferation among the two types of cells; this effect was only evident when the cells were grown in the presence of a mitogen, serum, or bFGF. When added together (either in a serum-supplemented or serum-free medium), however, TGFbeta1 and the mitogen effectively nullified each other. TGFbeta1 blocked the mitogenic effect of bFGF on astrocytes and C6 cells. Ethanol did not affect (i.e., neither added nor nullified) this antagonistic effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TGFbeta1, like ethanol, is a potent anti-proliferative agent; either can nullify the mitogenic activity of serum or bFGF. Astrocytes and astrocyte-like cells react to combined TGFbeta1 and ethanol treatment differently than do neurons for which the inhibitory effects of TGFbeta1 and ethanol are additive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York-Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA. millermw@upstate.edu
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; C508962:Tgfb1 protein, rat; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D000431:Ethanol