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Importance of Epidermal Growth Factor in Implantation and Growth of Mouse Mammary Tumor in Female Nude Mice

Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disease, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892

In female nude mice, epidermal growth factor (EGF) was present at a mean concentration of 42.8 ± 16.9 (SD) ng/mg wet tissue in the suhmandibular gland and 0.28 ± 0.13 ng/ml in the plasma. Sialoadenectomy (removal of the submandibular glands) decreased circulating EGF to undetectable levels (<0.1 ng/ml). The possible role of EGF in transplantation and growth of mouse mammary tumors in nude mice was examined by sialoadenectomy, anti-EGF treatment, and EGF replacement therapy. The success rate of transplantation of a spontaneous mouse mammary tumor into nude mice was 55% in normal females and 17% in sialoadenectomized animals. Anti-EGF treatment of sialoadenectomized mice completely abolished the implantation of the tumor. Daily administration of EGF at a dose of 5 µg per mouse to both normal and sialoadenectomized animals enhanced the success rate of tumor implantation to more than 80%. Sialoadenectomy and/or anti-EGF treatment of tumor-bearing nude mice reduced the growth of implanted mammary tumors. These results suggest that EGF is important for implantation and growth of spontaneous mouse mammary tumor in female nude mice.

¹ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 1/27/87. Revised 5/21/87. Accepted 6/ 4/87.