Characterization and estrogen regulation of growth factor activity from uterus

Purification and partial sequencing of the major mitogen for human uterine smooth muscle-like cells in leiomyoma extracts

We purified the major mitogen for human smooth muscle-like cells in leiomyoma extracts by sequential liquid chromatography on (a) carboxymethyl-Sepharose, (b) heparin-Sepharose columns, (c) cartridges of C18 silica, and (d) linear gradient reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The mitogenic activity of the leiomyoma extract throughout purification was tested by tritiated thymidine incorporation and DNA content in NIH/3T3 fibroblasts and KW human smooth muscle-like cells. Purification of the leiomyoma-derived growth factor (LDGF) for KW smooth muscle-like cells confirmed that its partial NH2-terminal amino acid (aa) sequence (1-20 aa) was identical to 113-132 aa of the human cysteine-rich protein (hCRP). A synthetic peptide which was engineered based on the purified aa sequence, stimulated the proliferation and growth of KW cells. An oligonucleotide probe constructed by the cDNA of the hcrp gene that encodes this aa sequence depicted the expression of 1.9-kb LDGF mRNA in leiomyomas and myometrium. The expression of the LDGF mRNA was three to sixfold higher in leiomyomas compared with adjacent myometrium of women harboring leiomyomas by in situ hybridization analysis. These data suggest that LDGF may participate in the pathophysiology of uterine leiomyomas.

Epidemiologic evidence for uterine growth factors in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer

To examine the association between ovarian cancer and prior hysterectomy or tubal ligation in light of various interpretations, we combined data from two previously conducted case-control studies of ovarian cancer. This included 450 women with histologically verified epithelial ovarian cancer and 454 age-matched women from the general population for whom data on prior pelvic surgery were available to estimate exposure odds ratios. Overall there was a nonsignificant deficit of case patients who had had a hysterectomy or tubal ligation (odds ratio (OR) = 0.9; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.6 to 1.3). A protective effect of prior hysterectomy or tubal ligation was more apparent among women who had the surgery 20 or more years previously (OR = 0.6; 95% Ci, 0.3 to 1.1), women who had not used talc in their hygiene (OR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4 to 1.0), and women with mucinous tumors of the ovary (OR = 0.3; 95% CI, 0.1 to 1.0). Although these data do not clearly establish the validity of or mechanisms for an association between prior pelvic surgery and ovarian cancer, we speculate that such an association exists and may be mediated through absent or reduced uterine growth factors that reach the ovaries through the uteroovarian circulation, with mucinous tumors most dependent on such factors.

Stimulation of DNA synthesis in rat uterine cells by growth factors and uterine extracts

Replicative DNA synthesis, as measured by thymidine incorporation, has been measured in rat uterine cells in primary culture in response to growth factors. Insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), multiplication-stimulating activity (MSA) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulated DNA synthesis, while estradiol, epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and relaxin did not stimulate or did so weakly and only at very high concentrations. Uterine acid extracts also stimulated DNA synthesis. IGF-I stimulated at concentrations consistent with its acting through the IGF-I receptor; however, insulin stimulated at concentrations higher than expected for its acting through its receptor and this its action may be mediated through the IGF-I receptor. IGF-I was found in uterine tissue by radioimmunoassay (RIA). There was a 5- to 10-fold increase in IGF-I in the uteri from ovariectomized rats that had been treated with estradiol 24 h earlier. This is analogous to the increase in growth factor activity found previously in rat uterus after 24-h estradiol treatment (Beck, C.A. and Garner, C.W. (1989) Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 63, 93-101). These data are consistent with the hypothesis that estradiol effects in the uterus are in part mediated through IGF-I.

Proliferation and differentiation of mouse uterine epithelial cells in primary serum-free culture: estradiol-17 beta suppresses uterine epithelial proliferation cultured on a basement membrane-like substratum

The effects of different substrata and estradiol-17 beta (E2) on proliferation and differentiation of mouse uterine epithelial cells was examined in a serum-free primary culture system. When cultured on rat-tail collagen gels, the epithelial cells rapidly increased in number to form a simple squamous cell layer that exhibited a relatively undifferentiated state (a few short microvilli, no secretory granules, and poorly developed endoplasmic reticulum). Addition of E2 into the culture medium did not affect the proliferation of epithelial cells on collagen gel. Uterine epithelial cells grown on a reconstituted basement membrane-like substratum (Matrigel) formed a simple columnar/cuboidal cell layer exhibiting fully developed characteristics (many long microvilli, many secretory granules, and fully developed endoplasmic reticulum). Examination of epithelial proliferation by counting substratum-attached cell number revealed only a slow increase in cell growth on Matrigel, and E2 did not significantly affect it. However, measurement of proliferating cells by labeling cells with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine revealed that cells on Matrigel were replicating and that E2 (10(-7) to 10(-11) M) actually significantly suppressed epithelial proliferation. However, there was not an effect of E2 on total cell number, indicating that the cells in control medium replicate faster and detach more readily from the substratum than those in E2-supplemented medium on Matrigel. Thus, it is probable that E2 significantly reduces the rate of cell detachment from the substratum, which may mimic the in vivo condition where significant decrease in apoptosis or cell death is induced by E2.