title: A diphtheria toxin-epidermal growth factor fusion protein is cytotoxic to human glioblastoma multiforme cells.
abstract: The cytotoxicity of a diphtheria toxin-human epidermal growth factor fusion protein (DAB(389)EGF) was tested against 14 human glioma cell lines. After cells were cultured for 48 h with various concentrations of DAB(389)EGF, the percentage reduction in thymidine incorporation was determined. For 13 of 14 cell lines, potent cytotoxicity was observed, with IC(50)s of 0.4-50 pM. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) density of these cell lines was determined by immunofluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, and radioligand binding. These assays correlated well with each other and demonstrated EGFR levels of 15,000-230,000/cell for 13 of 14 cell lines. The cell line U138MG, which lacked EGFR, was the only cell line insensitive to DAB(389)EGF. Linear regression analysis showed a good correlation between EGFR density and DAB(389)EGF sensitivity (P < 0.001) and between results of flow cytometry and radiolabeled binding assays of EGFR density (P = 0.01). DAB(389)EGF may have potential for intracranial therapy of EGFR-positive glioblastomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology and Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA.
authors.forename: Tie Fu
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Kimberley A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Jason G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ramage
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Willingham
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Thorburn
authors.forename: Arthur E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Frankel
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007700:Kinetics; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors