Effects of Epidermal Growth Factor on Growth Response, Morphology, and Invasive Potential of Human Endometrial Carcinoma Cell Line RL95-2

Abstract

Exposure of RL95-2 human endometrial adenosquamous carcinoma cells of early passage (less than 30 passages) and late passage (greater than 250 passages) to epidermal growth factor (EGF) resulted in density- and concentration-dependent effects. At low seeding density, EGF (20 nM) inhibited the growth of early passage cells, whereas at high seeding density, 4.98 nM and 20 nM concentrations of EGF stimulated their growth. Furthermore, the growth of late passage cells was stimulated by 0.0166 nM EGF and inhibited by 4.98 nM and 20 nM EGF at both seeding densities. EGF (20 nM) caused marked morphological changes of both passages at the low seeding density. Inhibition of invasion of both passages through Matrigel-coated filters was seen at low seeding density, while at the high seeding density, EGF enhanced invasiveness. At high seeding density, EGF stimulated an increase in urokinase type plasminogen activator activity, which may have augmented the ability of cells to degrade the extracellular matrix. In addition, the ability of high seeding density cells of both passages to adhere to matrigel after EGF treatment correlated with invasiveness.