Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Spheroid Assay to Measure TGF-β-induced Invasion
Published on: November 16, 2011
Transforming growth factor-alpha acts as an autocrine growth factor in ovarian carcinoma cell lines
K Stromberg1, T J Collins, A W Gordon
1Division of Cytokine Biology, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Abstract:
The potential of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) to function as an autocrine growth factor was evaluated in numerous ovarian carcinoma cell lines. All 17 lines which were examined expressed the epidermal growth factor receptor and 16 cell lines, in addition, concomitantly secreted TGF-alpha. Radioimmunoassay of processed serum-free-conditioned medium indicated TGF-alpha concentrations ranging from 16 to 197 pg/ml, or 1.5 to 95 ng/10(8) cells. 125I-TGF-alpha bound to a single class of high-affinity-binding sites on the surface of the cells. The dissociation constant for the 125I-TGF-alpha/epidermal growth factor receptor complex ranged from 0.21 to 5.3 nM with receptor numbers from 3,500 to 96,000/cell, depending upon the cell line. The growth of 8 ovarian cell lines was stimulated in a dose-dependent manner when grown in the presence of exogenous TGF-alpha. Growth in 4 of 5 cell lines capable of serum-free propagation was inhibited from 28 to 56% when cultured in medium containing a TGF-alpha-neutralizing monoclonal antibody. These results support the view that TGF-alpha is an autocrine growth factor for cell lines derived from ovarian cancers of epithelial origin and suggest a potential role for TGF-alpha in the pathogenesis or progression of the disease.
Related Concept Videos
Autocrine Signaling
Autocrine Signaling in Macrophages
Under normal physiological conditions, autocrine signaling is essential for maintaining homeostasis. This process is well characterized in...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
The Ras Gene
Ras is a superfamily...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
TGF - β Signaling Pathway

