[The growth effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors on ovarian carcinoma cell lines]

To evaluate the growth effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) on ovarian carcinoma cell lines.

We investigated the possible growth effects of G-CSF on three ovarian carcinoma cell lines (SKOV3, 3AO, and CAOV3). Cell proliferation and viability was measured by XTT colorimetric assay. Flow cytometer (FCM) and G-CSF receptor mRNA were measured for response cell lines, the response cell lines were xenotransplanted into athymic mice, to investigated in vivo growth under systemic subcutaneous infusion of G-CSF.

G-CSF showed no growth-stimulating effects in 3AO and CAOV3 cell lines. In SKOV3, an increase in growth (< 5%) was seen by XTT assay at 100 ng/ml and 1000 ng/ml after 24 hours treatment, but no significant proliferation was observed by FCM. No G-CSF receptor mRNA was detected by RT-polymerase chain reaction, and no significant alteration of the tumor growth was by G-CSF.

Although, the above results suggest that G-CSF may act as growth factors in a few ovarian carcinoma cell lines, yet the worry about tumor growth stimulation by G-CSF as potential hazards for their clinical application in ovarian carcinoma patients as an adjuvant with cytotoxic chemotherapy is not necessary.