The Role of Growth Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 in Human Breast Cancer Growth in a Mouse Xenograft Model

Abstract

Abstract : The purpose of this research is to determine the role of human growth hormone (hGH) and insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) in the development of an immunodeficient mouse model for human breast cancer. Human GH and 1GF1 may be critical to the initiation and progression of tumor growth in vivo. Results suggest that it is questionable whether rhGH alone or in addition to estrogen has a significant role in the development of a primary tumor or the progression of tumor growth in the animal model. In addition, growth hormone may be semi-inhibitory to growth for tumors dependent upon estrogen Exogenous 1GF1 however, enhances the time to development of a palpable primary tumor and likely has a role in sustaining tumor growth and size over and above what has been achievable with estrogen alone. The effect of human rhGH and 1GF1 on tumor 1GF1, 1GF2 and IGF2 is currently under evaluation in this laboratory on tumor specimens obtained from the experimental animals. Over the next year in this laboratory, primary tumors from patients under care at Maine Medical Center, will be place into the scid/scid mouse model and supplemented with 1GF1 to establish if our preliminary results can be applied to the development of new xenograft models.