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Regulation of insulin-like growth factor-IL expression and its role in autocrine growth of human neuroblastoma cells.

Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) is highly expressed in fetal tissues and may act as an autocrine growth factor during early embryogenesis. The SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line also expresses IGF-II and its receptors and responds to exogenous IGF-II with increased DNA synthesis, cell division, and neuritic outgrowth. For this study, we tested the hypothesis that IGF-II mediates autocrine growth of SH-SY5Y cells in serum-free media. SH-SY5Y cells plated at high densities proliferated in serum-free media, whereas sparsely plated cells did not. IGF-II mRNA levels increased within 24 hours of serum deprivation and were associated with increased immunoreactive IGF-II protein. Exogenous addition of IGF-II increased 3H-TdR incorporation and cell number in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. By nuclear labelling experiments using 5-Bromo-2' deoxyuridine (BrdU), we detected a twofold higher percentage of S phase nuclei after a 24-hour incubation in IGF-II. Treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with anti-IGF-II antibodies in serum-free media inhibited cell proliferation, and this inhibition was partially overcome by the addition of increasing concentrations of IGF-II. Collectively, our results indicate that IGF-II mediates an autocrine growth mechanism in SH-SY5Y cells that is associated with increased IGF-II expression.

Antibodies↗

Activated platelet-derived growth factor autocrine pathway drives the transformed phenotype of a human glioblastoma cell line.

Human glioblastoma cells (A172) were found to concomitantly express PDGF-BB and PDGF beta-receptors. The receptors were constitutively autophosphorylated in the absence of exogenous ligand, suggesting the presence of an autocrine PDGF pathway. Neutralizing PDGF antibodies as well as suramin inhibited the autonomous PDGF receptor tyrosine kinase activity and resulted in up-regulation of receptor protein. The interruption of the autocrine loop by the PDGF antibodies reversed the transformed phenotype of the glioblastoma cell, as determined by (1) diminished DNA synthesis, (2) inhibition of tumor colony growth, and (3) reversion of the transformed morphology of the tumor cells. The PDGF antibodies showed no effect on the DNA synthesis of another glioblastoma cells line (U-343MGa 31L) or on Ki-ras-transformed fibroblasts. The present study demonstrates an endogenously activated PDGF pathway in a spontaneous human glioblastoma cell line. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the autocrine PDGF pathway drives the transformed phenotype of the tumor cells, a process that can be blocked by extracellular antagonists.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Role for autocrine TGF-beta 1 in regulating differentiation of a human leukemic cell line toward osteoclast-like cells.

Increasing evidence suggests that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is involved in bone formation during remodeling. Using a recently cloned human leukemic cell line (FLG 29.1 cells) we demonstrate that these cells synthesize and secrete TGF-beta 1 and that exogenous or autocrine TGF-beta 1 can induce the same features of osteoclastic-like cells, exerting its effects through the binding to TGF-beta specific receptors. Scatchard analysis of 125I-labeled TGF-beta 1 to FLG 29.1 cells revealed the presence of a single high affinity binding site with a Kd value of approximately 25 pM and a binding capacity of approximately 900 sites/cell. Affinity labeling experiments showed that FLG 29.1 cells express type I and type II TGF-beta receptors. Stimulation of FLG 29.1 cells with low TGF-beta 1 doses reduced cell proliferation and increased cell adhesion and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAcP) activity. Pretreatment of FLG 29.1 cells with TGF-beta 1 caused a significant and dose-dependent response to calcitonin. Northern blot of total mRNA and analysis of the conditioned media (CM) showed that TGF-beta 1 was synthesized by FLG 29.1 cells. TPA treatment, which induces partial differentiation of these cells, markedly increased TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression and growth factor release. The majority of TGF-beta 1 secreted by TPA-treated cells was in its latent form. However, anti-TGF-beta antibodies inhibited TGF-beta 1 and TPA-induced growth inhibition, calcitonin responsiveness, and TRAcP activity, suggesting that the TPA effect is mediated in part by autocrine TGF-beta 1 and indicating that the cells can activate and respond to the TGF-beta that they secrete. These findings support a potential autocrine role for TGF-beta 1 in osteoclast differentiation.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Induction of autocrine epidermal growth factor receptor ligands in human keratinocytes by insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1.

Autocrine activation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor on keratinocytes has been recognized as an important growth regulatory mechanism involved in epithelial homeostasis, and, possibly, hyperproliferative diseases. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and insulin have been shown to be paracrine keratinocyte mitogens that bind to the type I IGF receptor which is expressed on actively proliferating keratinocytes in situ. In this report, we demonstrate that IGF-1/insulin induced production of keratinocyte-derived autocrine growth factors that bind to the EGF receptor. Increased steady-state mRNA levels for transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) and for amphiregulin (AR) were observed upon incubation of keratinocytes with mitogenic concentrations of IGF-1. IGF-1 also induced production and secretion of TGF-alpha and AR proteins as detected by immunoassays. An EGF receptor antagonistic monoclonal antibody abolished the mitogenic effect of IGF-1 on cultured keratinocytes. These results suggest that stimulation of keratinocyte growth of IGF-1 requires activation of an EGF receptor-mediated autocrine loop.

Amphiregulin↗

Inhibition of human breast epithelial HBL100 cell proliferation by a dextran derivative (CMDB7): interference with the FGF2 autocrine loop [corrected].

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) has been shown to be an autocrine growth factor in human breast epithelial cells HBL100. Here we studied the effects of one dextran derivative (CMDB7) on this autocrine loop. CMDB7 caused a dose-dependent decrease of HBL100 growth in serum-free medium. [3H]thymidine uptake in HBL100 cells and Balbc/3T3 cells by exogenous FGF2 was inhibited by CMDB7. Receptor binding assays with radio-iodinated FGF2, IGF1, EGF showed that CMDB7 only displaced the binding of 125I-FGF2 in a dose dependent manner. Scatchard analysis revealed that the presence of CMDB7 reduced 78% and 82 % FGF2 binding capacity to its high and low affinity receptors respectively without altering the affinites of binding sites. These results suggest that CMDB7 exert its antiproliferative action on HBL100 cells by interfering with FGF2 autocrine loop.

3T3 Cells↗

Autocrine regulation of protein secretion in mouse mammary epithelial cells.

Milk secretion is under autocrine control by an inhibitory milk protein, named FIL (feedback inhibitor of lactation). Lactating mammary acini and epithelial cells cultured on reconstituted basement membrane (EHS matrix) with lactogenic hormones were used to study the characteristics of autocrine inhibition. FIL inhibited milk protein secretion in lactating acini, but not in epithelial cells on EHS matrix. The latter's insensitivity to FIL was due to formation of multicellular structures termed mammospheres, in which cell surrounded a central luminal space. Cell polarization, and the formation of tight intercellular junctions prevented FIL access to the apical cell surface, which faced the mammosphere lumina. When apical access was permitted either by incomplete mammosphere formation or EGTA treatment, FIL inhibited mammosphere protein secretion to the same extent as in lactating acini. The study shows that autocrine inhibition by FIL occurs specifically through interaction with the apical surface of the mammary epithelial cell, and suggests the presence of a FIL receptor on this, but not the basolateral cell membrane.

Animals↗

Formation of PI 3-kinase products in platelets by thrombin, but not collagen, is dependent on synergistic autocrine stimulation, particularly through secreted ADP.

Platelet activation by thrombin or collagen results in secretion and synthesis of several platelet agonists that enhance the responses to the primary agonists (autocrine stimulation). To disclose the effects of thrombin and collagen on the phosphorylation of 3-phosphoinositides per se we incubated platelets with five inhibitors of platelet autocrine stimulation (IAS) that act extracellularly. We found that IAS almost totally blocked thrombin-induced production of phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4)P(2)] and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3)]. In contrast, collagen induced massive production of PtdIns(3,4)P(2) and PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) in the presence of IAS. When testing the effect of each inhibitor individually we found the strongest inhibition of thrombin-induced PtdIns(3,4)P(2) production with the ADP scavenger system CP/CPK. Furthermore, we found a strong synergistic effect between exogenously added ADP and thrombin on production of PtdIns(3,4)P(2). In contrast to the results from 3-phosphorylated phosphoinositides, CP/CPK had little effect on thrombin-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Our results show the importance of autocrine stimulation in thrombin-induced accumulation of 3-phosphorylated phosphoinositides and raise the question as to whether thrombin by itself is capable of inducing PI 3-K activation. In marked contrast to thrombin, collagen per se appears to be able to trigger increased production of PtdIns(3,4)P(2) and PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3).

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Autocrine and paracrine regulation by cytokines and growth factors in melanoma.

Tumour development and progression involves the expression of oncogenes and inactivation of tumour suppressor genes, leading to the appearance of multiple malignant characteristics. Malignant melanoma cells express different growth factors and cytokines and their receptors in respective stages of tumour progression, which by autocrine and paracrine effects enable them to grow autonomously and confer competence to metastasis. Autocrine growth factors (bFGF, MGSA/GRO, IL-8 and sometimes IL-6, PDGF-A, IL-10) produced by melanoma cells stimulate proliferation of the producing cell itself, while paracrine growth factors (for example PDGF, EGF, TGF-beta, IL-1, GM-CSF, IGF-I, NGF, VEGF) modulate the microenvironment to the benefit of tumour growth and invasion. Paracrine effects include angiogenesis, stroma formation, modulation of host immune response, activation of proteolytic enzymes, adhesion or motility and metastasis formation. Some growth factors have inhibitory effects on melanocytes and early lesions (IL-1, IL-6, TGF-beta, OSM, TNF and IFN) but not on advanced stage melanomas, and in some cases they switch to autocrine stimulator (IL-6, TGF-beta). Understanding the involvement of different growth factors and cytokines in the molecular mechanism of melanoma progression will help to provide an insight into new future therapeutic approaches for melanoma.

Cell Division↗

Induction of endocardial cushion tissue in the avian heart is regulated, in part, by TGFbeta-3-mediated autocrine signaling.

Valvuloseptal morphogenesis of the primitive heart tube into a four-chambered organ requires the formation of endocardial cushion tissue. The latter is the outcome of an inductive interaction in which endocardial (endothelial) cells are induced to transform into mesenchyme by paracrine signals secreted by the adjacent myocardium. In this study, we propose that transforming endothelial/mesenchymal cells themselves secrete a factor-TGFbeta-3-that functions in an autocrine mode to promote/sustain mesenchyme formation and possibly in a paracrine manner to amplify the original (myocardial) inductive event. Cushion mesenchyme-conditioned medium, previously demonstrated to be an endogenous source of autocrine, migration-promoting factors, was found in the present study to contain TGFbeta-3, as detected by immunoblot analysis. Immunoneutralization of TGFbeta-3 in preparations of cushion mesenchyme-conditioned medium resulted in a failure of treated target endocardial cells to migrate as mesenchyme, whereas inclusion of a control antibody did not inhibit the migration-promoting activity of the conditioned medium. Similar to treatment with the conditioned medium, direct addition of TGFbeta-3 to target endocardial cells also elicited invasive migration but only in cultures which had been activated in vivo by inductive interaction with the myocardium prior to treatment. Selective inhibition of TGFbeta-3-mediated autocrine signaling in continuous cocultures of endocardium plus myocardium resulted in endocardial cells which did not migrate, even though they had expressed early markers associated with endocardial cell activation (e.g., alpha-smooth muscle actin, ES/130, and TGFbeta-3). Collectively, these results suggest that (i) two signaling pathways, myocardial and endocardial, are required to start and complete epithelial-mesenchymal transformation in cushion-forming regions of the heart and (ii) the endocardial pathway signals through iteration of TGFbeta-3 and is not functionally redundant to the myocardial pathway.

Animals↗

IL-10 is an autocrine inhibitor of human placental cytotrophoblast MMP-9 production and invasion.

During human placentation, fetal cytotrophoblast stem cells differentiate and then invade the uterine wall and its associated spiral arteries. This process anchors the placenta to the uterus and supplies maternal blood to the fetus. Cytotrophoblast invasion in vitro requires the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Recently, we showed that cytotrophoblasts produce interleukin-10 (IL-10), a potent immunomodulatory cytokine that could have paracrine effects on the maternal immune system. IL-10 synthesis is dramatically downregulated after the first 12 h of culture, while MMP-9 secretion is rapidly upregulated and the cells acquire an invasive phenotype. These observations prompted us to investigate whether IL-10 is an autocrine regulator of cytotrophoblast MMP-9 production. We found that the cells expressed IL-10 receptor mRNA, suggesting that autocrine effects are possible. Adding recombinant IL-10 to cytotrophoblast cultures significantly decreased the cells' MMP-9 expression at both protein and mRNA levels, but did not affect mRNA levels of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3. Thus, IL-10 may alter the proteinase/inhibitor balance. IL-10 treatment further caused a net decrease in MMP activity, thereby reducing cytotrophoblast invasiveness. An antibody that neutralized endogenous IL-10 function had the opposite effect in all experiments. Together, these data suggest that IL-10 is an autocrine inhibitor of cytotrophoblast MMP-9 activity and invasiveness.

Cell Differentiation↗

Cancer progression and growth: relationship of paracrine and autocrine growth mechanisms to organ preference of metastasis.

The progression of cancer cells to highly malignant phenotypes that ultimately invade and metastasize to near and distant sites requires that metastatic cells respond to mitogenic signals in new microenvironments. The successful growth of metastases is due to their ability to respond to local paracrine growth factors and inhibitors and to produce and respond to autocrine growth factors. Solid tumors of the same histologic class, however, may respond differently to combinations of paracrine and autocrine growth signals at metastatic sites. At early stages of tumor dissemination there is a tendency for certain cancers to metastasize to and grow preferentially at particular sites, suggesting that paracrine growth mechanisms may dominate the growth signals processed by metastatic cells. In contrast, at later stages of progression where widespread dissemination of cancer occurs, autocrine growth mechanisms may dominate the positive growth signals processed by metastatic cells and the cells may fail to respond to negative growth signals. Ultimately progression of cancer cells to completely autonomous (acrine) growth states can occur, and metastatic cell proliferation may be completely independent of growth factors or inhibitors. This suggests that pharmacologic intervention using analogs of specific growth inhibitors or antagonists of growth factors, such as genetically altered growth factors, monoclonal antibodies, or other agents, to block growth signaling mechanisms may be useful only at stages of cancer progression before wide-spread metastasis of acrine malignant cells occurs.

Animals↗

Autocrine growth loop of the epidermal growth factor receptor in normal and immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a potent growth factor for human normal bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells and lung cancer cells, which often demonstrate an EGF receptor (EGFR) autocrine loop. We have found that HBE cells are capable of proliferating in basal medium without EGF supplementation, and this suggests the probable presence of an active EGFR autocrine loop in non-neoplastic HBE cells. Northern blot hybridization shows that the parental and immortalized HBE cells express comparable and high levels of mRNA for EGFR, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), and amphiregulin (AR), but not EGF. Incubation with neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against EGFR partially inhibits the growth of these cells. Immunohistochemistry shows that HBE cells express the TGF-alpha peptide in vitro and in vivo, however, neutralizing mAbs against TGF-alpha fail to inhibit their proliferation. In contrast, AR stimulates the growth of HBE cells. Thus, several EGF-family ligands appear to be involved functionally in the EGFR autocrine growth loop in HBE cells.

Amphiregulin↗

The Met-HGF/SF autocrine signaling mechanism is involved in sarcomagenesis.

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) can elicit a wide variety of effects upon cells expressing its receptor, the tyrosine kinase proto-oncogene product Met, including mitogenicity, motility, and morphogenesis. Normally, met expression is restricted to epithelial cells and is activated in a paracrine fashion by HGF/SF secreted from cells of mesenchymal origin. In this chapter, we review data showing that: (i) met over-expression in HGF/SF-expressing NIH/3T3 fibroblasts leads to sarcomagenesis and metastasis via an autocrine mechanism; (ii) Met-HGF/SF autocrine signalling occurs to a low level in normal fibroblasts and to a much greater extent in human sarcomas and sarcoma cell lines; (iii) met expression is enhanced as p53-deficient fibroblasts are passaged in vitro and (iv) met and HGF/SF over-expression are selected for during tumorigenesis of p53-deficient late-passage fibroblasts. Thus, loss of p53 predisposes a mesenchymal cell to over-express met and high level Met-HGF/SF autocrine signaling in mesenchymal cells promotes both sarcomagenesis and metastasis through inappropriate induction of the pleiotropic responses to Met-HGF/SF stimulation.

3T3 Cells↗

Conversion of factor-dependent myeloid cells to factor independence: autocrine stimulation is not coincident with tumorigenicity.

It has been postulated that the disruption of the normal hormonal regulation of blood cell formation and proliferation leads to the autonomous growth of hematopoietic progenitors or stem cells and thus to leukeamia. We have utilized established hematopoietic cell lines to establish the different mechanism by which growth autonomy is acquired. The analysis of thirteen spontaneous factor-independent mutants revealed that the majority (12/13) secreted a factor that stimulated growth of the parental cell line. Thus, autocrine stimulation may be a important mechanism by which normal growth control is disrupted. This is supported by the observation of Young and Griffin (1987) that some cells isolated from patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) autogenously produce growth factor. In the majority of Dind mutants more closely examined, growth factor gene activation was due to the juxtapostion of a retrotransposon. Although the exact nature of the involvement of human retroviruses in inducing leukemia has not been elucidated, one could envisage that altered growth factor regulation due to integration of the virus may play an important role. The existence of a second class of Dind mutants that have obtained factor-independence by a mechanism not involving factor production concurs with the acquisition of factor-independent growth in hematopoietic cells after introduction of some oncogenes. Several models have been proposed to explain how oncogenes may "short circuit" and thus activate the normal signal transduction pathway by mimicking the active receptor, transducer, or effector (Weinberg, 1985). To investigate more closely the role of autocrine stimulation in the induction of growth autonomy and tumorigenicity, retroviral vectors expressing either GM-CSF or IL3 were introduced into factor-dependent hematopoitic cell lines. Non-linear clonability of infected cell lines in the absence of exogenous growth factor and inhibition of proliferation by antiserum supported a model of autocrine stimulation. However, a secondary event, correlated with amount of factor released, often occurred that abrogated the requirement for secreted CSF. Growth of cells in which this alteration had occured was cell-density independent and could not be blocked by antibody. It has been postulated that autogenous factor may react with its receptor intracellularly (Lang et al., 1985). The results presented here cannot exclude that the secondary events may allow the internal interaction of receptor and factor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Autocrine regulation of cell growth and transformation by basic fibroblast growth factor.

Basic FGF (bFGF) and acidic FGF (aFGF) are multipotential factors that stimulate and support proliferation, migration and differentiation. Both bFGF and aFGF are non-secreted growth factors consistent with the lack of a signal peptide. However, bFGF and aFGF are deposited in extracellular matrix (ECM) suggesting that an alternative mechanism for FGF release exists. Four oncogenes, int-2, hst/K-fgf, FGF-5 and FGF-6 have been isolated that are highly homologous to aFGF and bFGF. Unlike bFGF and aFGF, they possess signal peptides and are secreted. These oncogenes transform cells and induce tumors, ostensibly via an autocrine mechanism. The involvement of bFGF and aFGF in autocrine transformation has been clarified by studies using FGF cDNA transfection. NIH-3T3 cells transfected with native bFGF cDNA and expressing 20 to 100 times as much bFGF as parental 3T3 cells acquire an enhanced proliferation rate and higher saturation density. NIH cells transfected with a construct in which bFGF cDNA is altered by addition of a signal peptide, undergo autocrine transformation and exhibit morphological and biochemical alterations characteristic of highly transformed cells. Injection of cells expressing native bFGF even at levels 100 times greater than parental 3T3 cells fails to induce tumors or lung metastasis in syngeneic mice. Signal peptide bFGF-transected cells on the other hand, acquire a high tumorigenic and metastatic potential with tumor incidence and numbers comparable to those induced by ras transformed cells. Acquisition of a signal peptide converts bFGF into a transforming protein analogous to FGF-related oncogenes which naturally have signal peptide sequences.

Animals↗

Paracrine and autocrine growth mechanisms in tumor metastasis to specific sites with particular emphasis on brain and lung metastasis.

Once metastatic cells successfully seed at distant sites, their clinical detection and danger to the host are dependent on growth to form gross metastases. Metastatic tumor cells proliferate in response to local paracrine growth factors and inhibitors, and their growth also depends on production and responses to autocrine growth factors. A major organ-derived (paracrine) growth factor from lung tissue-conditioned medium has been isolated that differentially stimulates the growth of cells metastatic to brain or lung. Characterization of this mitogen demonstrated that it is a transferrin or a transferrin-like glycoprotein. Furthermore, antibodies to transferrin can remove significant growth activity from lung tissue-conditioned medium. Cells that are metastatic to brain or lung express greater numbers of transferrin receptors on their surfaces than cells that are poorly metastatic or metastatic to liver. Growth responses of metastatic cells and organ preferences of colonization appear to change during progression to more malignant states. At early stages of metastatic progression there is a tendency for many common malignancies to metastasize and grow preferentially at particular sites, suggesting that paracrine growth mechanisms may dominate the growth signals at this stage of progression. In contrast, at later stages of metastatic progression widespread dissemination to various tissues and organs occurs, and autocrine growth mechanisms may dominate the growth responses of metastatic cells. Ultimately, the progression of malignant cells to completely autonomous (acrine) states can occur, and at this stage of metastatic progression cell growth may be completely independent of autocrine and paracrine growth factors or inhibitors.

Animals↗

IL-6 Undergoes Transition from in vitro Autocrine Growth Factor toin vivo Growth Inhibitor of B Lymphoma Cells.

IL-6 is a multifunctional cytokine involved in differentiation and proliferation of immune cells. Moreover, it has diverse effects on the proliferation of tumor cells in vivo and in vitro. Although stimulating cell growth of multiple myeloma cells, it inhibits the proliferation of B16 melanoma cells and lung cancer cells. B9.55 cells, B-cell lymphoma, are IL-6-dependent cells, definitely requiring exogenous IL-6 for growth. When the cDNA for IL-6 was transfected into B9.55 cells, they began growing in an autocrine pattern without exogenous IL-6. To investigate the effects of IL-6 on B9.55 lymphoma in vivo, IL-6-transfected B9.55 cells (B9.G7) or neotransfected B9.55 cells (B9.vec) were injected subcutaneously into syngeneic mice. Initially, B9.G7 outgrew B9.vec, but after 3 weeks, B9.G7 grew slower than B9.vec. In addition, 5 micro g of recombinant human IL-6 was injected daily into the tumor site. Reduced tumor sizes of IL-6-treated rats, similar to those observed in mice which received B9.G7, indicated that IL-6 itself is the mediator of tumor regression. When B9.G7 cells were injected into the irradiated normal mice, tumor regression was released compared with the untreated normal control, suggesting that radiosensitive host components were involved in the regression of B9.G7 cell growth. However, the tumor regression of B9.G7 cells was not released in SCID mice. Histologically, B9.G7 tumor demonstrated severe necrosis and apoptotic cells with infiltration of host inflammatory cells. Above data indicate that IL-6 functions as an autocrine growth factor for B9.G7 cells in vitro, but behaves as an autocrine inhibiting factor in vivo. These contrasting effects of IL-6 on tumor cells in vitro and in vivo will be facilitative in understanding the interaction of cytokines and host immune systems.

Journal Article↗

Autocrine growth factor and spontaneous transformation of rat liver epithelial cells.

Liver epithelial cells from a young rat were cultured and passaged for a long period until they showed a malignant transformation (tumorigenicity in athymic mice), to know when an autocrine growth factor is produced in the course of a spontaneous malignant transformation of normal cells in vitro. The cells initially showed a cellular transformation and an increased growth rate, then produced an autocrine growth factor after Passage 55, and finally the cells after Passage 105 showed a malignant transformation (tumorigenicity in vivo). It is suggested that in addition to an autocrine growth factor, some other factors might be related to a malignant transformation (tumorigenicity in vivo).

Animals↗