Immunological detection and quantitation of alpha transforming growth factors in human breast carcinoma cells

Alpha transforming growth factors (alpha TGFs) were immunologically detected in the concentrated conditioned medium (CM) prepared from four human breast cancer cell lines and from primary cultures of human mammary epithelial cells, and in the tissue extracts prepared from normal, benign, and malignant breast biopsies. Immunoreactive alpha TGFs were quantitated by a competitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) using affinity-purified polyclonal sheep anti-rat alpha TGF antibodies which react with human alpha TGF but not with human epidermal growth factor (EGF). The relative level of RIA-detectable alpha TGFs in the CM from the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, ZR-75-1, T47-D, and MDA-MB-231, and from the CM of primary cultures of human mammary epithelial cells, ranged from 0.02 to 0.85 ng/ml. MCF-7 or ZR-75-1 cells grown in the presence of 17 beta-estradiol (10(-8) M) for 48 h were found to release two- to three-fold more alpha TGFs into their CM than the same cells grown in the absence of estrogen. In detergent extracts prepared from normal breast tissue, a benign fibrocystic lesion, fibroadenomas and primary breast carcinomas, the relative alpha TGF concentrations were found to range from 1.5 to 6 ng/mg cell protein. No significant correlations were found between the alpha TGF levels and the pathological state of the tissues, the estrogen receptor status of the tumors, or the relative amounts of the ras gene protein p21ras in the tissues as determined by Western immunoblot analysis. The question of biological relevancy of alpha TGF for human mammary tumors will require further studies on synthesis and turnover of alpha TGF, the relationship between immunoreactivity and biological activity of alpha TGF, and differences in biological responsiveness of mammary tumor cells.