Abstract
Human mammary medullary carcinoma cells (passages 16 to 21) were cultured for 2 days to allow for attachment, followed by 6 days of culture in either fetal calf serum, human cord blood, human amniotic fluid, or growth factors in the presence or absence of purified human α-fetoprotein (AFP). When growth factors were tested alone, only platelet-derived growth factor produced a significant increase in cell proliferation. Although up to 40% amniotic fluid had no effect on cell proliferation, human cord blood was two-fold more potent than fetal calf serum at similar concentrations. The addition of 10 ng/ml of platelet-derived growth factor increased the proliferative activity of human cord blood 1.5- to 2.5-fold. Ablation of endogenous AFP by affinity chromatography reduced the proliferative activity of cord blood by 75%. Similarly, the mitogenic activity of cord blood plus platelet-derived growth factor was reduced by 56% when AFP was removed. Purified AFP dose-dependently enhanced the proliferative activity of platelet-derived growth factor. This synergistic effect was specific for platelet-derived growth factor. We conclude that platelet-derived growth factor is a major growth factor controlling the proliferation of these tumor cells and that AFP may enhance growth factor proliferative activity and human mammary tumor growth.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 247-251 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Steroids |
Volume | 56 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 1991 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- (AFP)
- cancer cells
- cell proliferation
- mammary tumor cells
- mammary tumor growth in vitro
- mitogenic activity of AFP
- oncofetal proteins
- platelet-derived growth factor
- α-fetoprotein
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Organic Chemistry