Effects of human platelet-derived growth factor-AB on sarcoma growth in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) has been proposed to play an important role in the growth of tumors. In order to study the effects of PDGF-AB on tumor growth in vivo, sarcoma-bearing mice were treated with PDGF-AB. The tumors, a malignant fibrous histiocytoma and an osteosarcoma, had functional PDGF receptors in vitro, as demonstrated by stimulation of PDGF-AB using a [3H]thymidine incorporation assay. Immunohistochemistry also revealed that both sarcoma xenografts expressed PDGF receptors. The tumor-bearing mice were given human PDGF-AB for 14 days, either continuously by an intraperitoneally placed mini-osmotic pump, or by daily injections. No effects on tumor growth in vivo were observed, as measured by tumor volume, autoradiography or cell cycle distribution. The histological appearance and ploidy of the tumors remained unaltered. The results indicate that, although the tumor cells are stimulated by PDGF-AB in vitro, the in vivo milieu or tumor growth pattern may render the tumors less susceptible to exogenously administered PDGF-AB in vivo.