Oestrogen receptor expression and the effects of oestrogen and tamoxifen on the growth of human ovarian carcinoma cell lines.

To assess the role of oestrogen regulation in the growth of ovarian cancer, we examined the effects of an oestrogen, 17 beta-oestradiol, and an anti-oestrogen, tamoxifen, on oestrogen receptor (ER) -positive and -negative human ovarian carcinoma cell lines. As measured by a dextran-coated charcoal adsorption assay, cell lines PEO1, PEO4 and PEO6 possessed moderate concentrations of ER (96-132 fmol mg-1 protein), PEA1 and PEA2 had low values (12-23 fmol mg-1 protein) and PEO14, TO14, PEO23 and PEO16 were ER-negative. Addition of 17 beta-oestradiol (10 nM or 0.1 nM) to the ER +ve cell line, PEO4, increased the growth rate. This oestrogen stimulation could be blocked by 1 microM tamoxifen. In contrast, the growth rate of the ER -ve cell line PEO14 was unaffected by the addition of 17 beta-oestradiol or tamoxifen. Concentrations of tamoxifen in excess of 8 microM were required to produce complete cytostasis in all lines. This concentration of tamoxifen over 72 hours also inhibited 50% colony formation when cells were plated on plastic. These data indicate that some ovarian carcinoma cell lines contain ER and their growth can be sensitive to oestrogen and anti-oestrogen modulation.

Effect of sodium butyrate and other differentiation inducers on poorly differentiated human ovarian adenocarcinoma cell lines.

We have studied the effects of sodium butyrate, retinoic acid, and dimethyl sulfoxide on two human ovarian carcinoma cell lines PE04 and PE01. PE04 cells, after treatment with sodium butyrate at cytostatic doses (2-3 mM for 4 days), exhibited phenotypic changes including induction of alkaline phosphatase and determinants recognized by the monoclonal antibodies 123C3 and 123A8. These effects are not simply the result of cytostasis as they were not produced by dimethyl sulfoxide or retinoic acid. Other markers are also modified by sodium butyrate including lipid, acid mucin, and glycogen. Retinoic acid modulated expression of lipid and CA125, while dimethyl sulfoxide reduced expression of CA125. Other short chain fatty acids such as propionic acid and valeric acid (in addition to butyric acid) also induced alkaline phosphatase and the determinants recognized by 123C3 and 123A8 in PE04 cells. Other differentiation inducers and cytotoxic agents studied did not induce these markers at cytostatic concentrations. The effects of sodium butyrate (and related short chain fatty acids) thus appear to be relatively specific for this cell line.

Characterization and properties of nine human ovarian adenocarcinoma cell lines.

Four series of cell lines have been derived from patients with ovarian adenocarcinoma. Nine cell lines have been established at one from a solid metastasis. Six lines were derived from the ascites or pleural effusion of patients with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma: PEO1, PEO4, and PEO6 from one patient, PEA1 and PEA2 from a second, and PEO16 from a third. Three lines (PEO14 and PEO23 from ascites and TO14 from a solid metastasis) were derived from a patient with a well-differentiated serous adenocarcinoma. Each set of cell lines was morphologically distinct. The five cell lines PEO1, PEO4, PEO6, PEA1, and PEA2 had cloning efficiencies on plastic of 1-2% and only a few cells in these lines expressed alkaline phosphatase or vimentin. Only a low percentage of these cells reacted with the monoclonal antibodies 123C3 and 123A8 but most reacted with OC125. Conversely the cell lines PEO14, TO14, PEO23, and PEO16 were characterized by low cloning efficiency values (less than 0.05%), marked expression of alkaline phosphatase and vimentin, and good reaction with 123C3 and 123A8 but not OC125. These four cell lines also exhibited dome formation. Four of the cell lines, PEO1, PEO4, PEO6, and PEO16, have been xenografted into immune-deprived mice and found to be tumorigenic.