title: Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 expression is associated with growth stimulation of T47D human breast cancer cells: the role of altered epidermal growth factor signaling.
abstract: IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3 has antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects on the growth of human breast cancer cells in vitro. However, clinical studies suggest that high levels of IGFBP-3 in breast tumor tissue are associated with large, highly proliferative tumors. In this study, we examined the effects of stable transfection with human IGFBP-3 cDNA on the growth of T47D human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Expression of IGFBP-3 initially inhibited the growth of T47D in vitro but was associated with enhanced growth in vivo. Furthermore, IGFBP-3-expressing cells in vitro became growth stimulated at higher passages post transfection, suggesting breast cancer cells may switch their response to IGFBP-3 with increasing tumorigenicity. These stimulatory effects observed in IGFBP-3-expressing cells were associated with an enhanced responsiveness to the proliferative effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF). When EGF receptor (EGFR) kinase activity was blocked using PD153035, high passage IGFBP-3 transfectants were growth inhibited compared with controls treated with inhibitor. These findings suggest that the interaction between IGFBP-3 and the EGFR system is central to whether IGFBP-3 acts as a growth stimulator or inhibitor in breast cancer cells and that therapies targeting EGFR may have increased efficacy in breast tumors expressing high levels of IGFBP-3.
authors.affiliation: Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, New South Wales 2065, Australia. a.butt@garvan.org.au
authors.forename: Alison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Butt
authors.forename: Janet L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Kristie A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McDougall
authors.forename: Sue M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Firth
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Baxter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors