title: [Growth inhibition of epidermal growth factor-stimulated human glioblastoma cells by nicardipine in vito].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the growth effects of epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and the calcium channel antagonist nicardipine (NC) on U251 MG, a human malignant glioma cell lime, which has high-affinity EGF receptors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The growth effects of EGF and NC on U251 MG cultured in serum-free and serum-containing (10% fetal bovine serum, FBS) media respectively were observed by MTT colorimeritric analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) EGF significantly enhanced the growth of U251 MG in a dose-dependent manner in serum-free conditions. The near-maximal effect was obtained at 10 mg.ml-1. The addition of serum obscured this effect. (2) NC decreased U251 MG cells proliferation, especially in serum-containing media, and completely blocked the growth-stimulated effect of EGF. The combinated effects of EGF (10 ng.ml-1) and NC equaled those of NC alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When serum is absent U251 MG cells showed a pronounced mitogenic response to EGF in a dosedependent manner, which approximated that achieved with 10% FBS. NC suppressed the growth of U251 MG cells and completely blocked the growth-stimulated effects of EGF, it can be used as an adjuvent therapy for human malignant gliomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: C X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D009529:Nicardipine