REGULATION OF ENDOMETRIAL CANCER CELL-GROWTH BY INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTORS AND THE LUTEINIZING-HORMONE-RELEASING HORMONE ANTAGONIST SB-75

The involvement of IGFs in growth regulation of the Ishikawa endometrial tumor cell line and the possible interference of LH-RH analogues with a potential autocrine or paracrine loop involving IGFs was evaluated. The mitogenic effects of IGF-I, IGF-II, and insulin were compared. IGF-I was found to be 3-fold more potent than IGF-II and 30-fold more potent than insulin, suggesting that the effects of these growth factors are mediated by the IGF-I receptor. Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells secrete IGF-II, but not IGF-I, and insulin (1 muM) stimulates IGF-II release. The LH-RH antagonist [AC-D-Nal(2)1, D-Phe(4Cl)2, D-Pal(3)3, D-Cit6, D-Ala10]-GnRH (SB-75, CETRORELIX) inhibited basal and IGF-induced growth. Moreover, this antagonist almost completely inhibited IGF-II release from Ishikawa cells, while having no significant effect on the number or affinity of IGF-I binding sites. Inhibition of IGF-II release occurred at a lower SB-75 concentration than that needed for a reduction in cell number. The ED50 of SB-75 for IGF-II release was 0.3 muM as compared to 1.5 mum concentration which is required for reduction in cell number, suggesting that inhibition of growth factor release precedes cell growth inhibition. We conclude that the LH-RH antagonist SB-75 can inhibit the growth of endometrial cancer cells by interfering with the autocrine action of IGF-II and also by directly inhibiting the growth-stimulatory effects of IGFs, probably through effects on a post-receptor mechanism.