# HORMONAL CONTROL OF GCDFP-15 SECRETION IN VITRO

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 1987 · $97,252

## Abstract

A 15,000 molecular weight glycoprotein (GCDFP-15) has been extracted and
purified from gross breast cysts.  Conventional and monoclonal antibodies
have been developed against GCDFP-15 and it has been shown to be a plasma
tumor marker substance for monitoring growth of breast carcinoma.  Patients
with progressing disease have increasing plasma levels of GCDFP-15 and
patients with regressing disease have decreasing levels.  The direction of
change in plasma levels of GCDFP-15 during the first six weeks of chemical
or hormonal therapy is predictive of the success or failure of that
therapy, and the magnitude of change in GCDFP-15 levels is correlated with
the length of remission.  The detection of disease recurrence following
mastectomy during the clinically disease-free period has also been
demonstrated with the GCDFP-15 assay.  Recently, it was noted that
androgens could stimulate the secretion of GCDFP-15, independently of tumor
growth, in patients with stage IV breast carcinoma.  In preliminary
studies, the androgen-induced secretion of GCDFP-15 has also been
demonstrated in vitro in the T-47D breast carcinoma cell line.  This
application proposes to study this in vitro hormonal control of GCDFP-15
synthesis and secretion by T-47D cells.  The secretory response of T-47D
cells to weak and strong androgens, to estrogens, to progestogen, to
corticoids, and to growth hormone and prolactin will be investigated.  A
c-DNA clone homologous to 75% of the GCDFP-15 mRNA has been isolated, and
this will be utilized to determine the early kinetics of androgen action.
Androgen receptor abundance, nuclear translocation, and nuclear processing
will be investigated as a function of GCDFP-15 synthesis.  The relationship
of GCDFP-15 synthesis to growth and to the cell cycle will also be
investigated.  Verification of key concepts generated in vitro will be made
in athymic nude mice carrying the T-47D tumor.  The information gained from
this study will throw valuable light on the phenomenon of
fluoxymesterone-induced secretion of GCDFP-15, already observed in patients
with breast cancer.  The results may also suggest ways to modulate the
androgen stimulation phenomenon to provide more effective therapy and more
sensitive diagnostic methods to patients with breast cancer.  The study
will also provide a model of androgen-induced specific protein synthesis in
human breast carcinoma cells.  (D)

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3178931
- **Project number:** 5R01CA039657-03
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** L6NFUM28LQM5
- **Principal Investigator:** WILLIAM G DILLEY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $97,252
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-04-01 → 1988-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3178931

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3178931, HORMONAL CONTROL OF GCDFP-15 SECRETION IN VITRO (5R01CA039657-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3178931. Licensed CC0.

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