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Elevated Plasma Platelet-derived Growth Factor B-Chain Levels in Cancer Patients¹

The Departments of Medicine [K. L., H. H., A. L.], Pharmacology [M. B.], Obstetrics and Gynecology [E. P.], and Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiology [M. B.], Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; Abbott Laboratories, Inc. [W. B., J. T., G. M., I. T.], North Chicago, Illinois 60064; and AMGen, Inc. [A. T.], Thousand Oaks, California 91320

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is produced by a variety of normal and tumor cells in vitro. We have developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of the B-chain of PDGF. This assay can reliably detect 0.1 ng/ml of homodimeric recombinant PDGF B-chain and does not cross-react with recombinant PDGF-AA, epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, or transforming growth factor-ß. Citrated plasma from 72 control individuals had a PDGF B-chain (PDGF-B) level of 0.32 ± 0.14 ng/ml (mean ± SD) with a range of 0.10–0.69 ng/ml. The plasma platelet factor 4 (PF4) level was 97 ± 70 ng/ml, with a range of 34–363 ng/ml. Citrated plasma was obtained from 131 cancer patients, and plasma PDGF-B was elevated in 19 (15%) of the patients. Both PDGF-B and PF4 were elevated in 14 (11%) of these patients, consistent with a platelet source of PDGF-B. In 5 patients (4%), however, PDGF-B was elevated and PF4 was not elevated compared to the control group. This last group of patients may have a tumor-derived source of PDGF-B which could be important in autocrine or paracrine growth stimulation of the tumor cells.

¹ This research was supported by grants from the Eleanor Naylor Dana Charitable Trust, New York, NY, the George L. Laverty Trust, Dauphin Deposit Bank and Trust Company, Harrisburg, PA, and Abbott Laboratories, Inc., North Chicago, IL.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, Box 850, M. S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA 17033.

Received 2/ 8/91. Accepted 5/31/91.

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