Endothelial cell growth factor derived from a human glioblastoma cell line and possible association with tumor angiogenesis

The cytosol of a human glioblastoma cell line (KNS-42) stimulated the growth of both bovine aortic endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells in a dose-dependent manner. The endothelial cell growth activity eluted at an apparent molecular weight of about 30,000 on a Sephadex G-100 column and bound to a heparin-Sepharose column with high affinity to elute at 1.3-1.7 M NaCl. The growth activity was destroyed by heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min, but not by exposure to trypsin, deoxyribonuclease or ribonuclease at 37 degrees C for 30 min. As this factor stimulated the growth of vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, and vasoproliferative responses in chick embryo chorioallantoic membranes were apparent, this factor may possibly be related to tumor angiogenesis.