Effect of Human Epidermal Growth Factor on Cell Growth and Its Receptor in Human Gastric Carcinoma Cell Lines

The effect of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) on the growthof various histological types of six human gastric carcinomacell lines was examined. The cell lines had relatively highaffinity EGF receptors (dissociation constant Kd = 10^–9to 10^–10 M). One gastric cancer cell line, MKN-74 (welldifferentiated adenocarcinoma) showed no response to hEGF, incell growth, DNA synthesis or ¹²⁵I-hEGF cell binding. Therewere no apparent correlations between histological type andcell growth, DNA synthesis or number of EGF receptors in thesecells. The number of EGF receptors and the Kd value of the gastriccarcinoma cell lines varied with their internal and externalenvironments. hEGF concentrations corresponding to maximum stimulationin DNA synthesis varied between cell lines. The results suggestsome gastric carcinoma cells to have EGF receptors and theirgrowth seemingly to be stimulated by EGF in vitro. There are,however, no obvious correlations between the effect of hEGFon the growth of human gastric carcinoma cell lines or theirhistological type.