# MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES TO MAMMARY TUMOR GROWTH FACTORS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · 1990 · $161,067

## Abstract

The goals of this project are to characterize the
protein/polypeptide growth factors required for estrogen-
responsive and autonomous rat and human breast cancer growth
and to apply this information to development of new therapeutic
approaches to control of this disease.  The growth factors
involved may originate from the plasma (endocrine factors) or they
may be secreted locally by tumor cells/stromal
(autocrine/paracrine factors).

We propose to use a combination of polyclonal and monoclonal
antibodies (MAbs) to growth factors and their receptors to define
the mitogens most closely related to estrogen-responsive and
autonomous breast tumor growth.  Autocrine/paracrine factors
will be studied under serum-free defined culture conditions and
the factors secreted characterized biochemically,
immunologically and structurally (amino acid sequencing).
Estrogen-inducible growth factors will be sought from clones of
the MTW9/PL2 rat line and from the human MCF-7, T-47D and
ZR-75-1 cells; factors secreted by autonomous cells will be
characterized using the estrogen receptor negative human MDA-
MB-231, BT-20, HBL-100 and Hs578t lines and autonomous
MTW9B rat cell clones.  Our experiments show insulin-like growth
factor 1 (IGF-1) is the most potent (ED50 30-50 pg/ml) mitogen
identified for breast cancer cells.  IGF-1 is estrogen-inducible
into the medium of MCF-7 cells.  The second most potent factor
identified is basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF).  Both IGF-1
and FGF-like factors are found in the medium of autonomous
cells.  Our plan is to continue complete identification of the most
important factors, and to use antibodies to inhibit estrogen-
promoted or autonomous growth in culture.  MAbs to growth
factor receptors will be used to confirm an autocrine role, or
where indicated, as endocrine role of blood borne activities.
When the cell culture studies are complete, we will use receptor
directed MAbs to attempt inhibition of estrogen-responsive and
autonomous tumor formation in athymic nude mice.  These studies
will directly test of the role in growth factors as mediators of
estrogen-responsive and autonomous tumor growth in vivo, and
establish whether blocking their action has potential as a new
therapeutic approach to control of breast cancer.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3176015
- **Project number:** 5R01CA038024-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON
- **SAM.gov UEI:** ZUFBNVZ587D4
- **Principal Investigator:** DAVID A SIRBASKU
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $161,067
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-08-01 → 1992-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3176015

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3176015, MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES TO MAMMARY TUMOR GROWTH FACTORS (5R01CA038024-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3176015. Licensed CC0.

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