Yoshito Ohba

Autocrine role of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in a human thyroid cancer cell line

An established cell line (TC-cell, clone 78) derived from human thyroid papillary cancer cells was investigated for production of peptide growth factors. The cells had specific binding sites for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and responded to this growth factor with increased proliferation. Culture medium conditioned by TC cells was found to contain insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-binding protein(s). Furthermore, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed expression of IGF-I mRNA. When monoclonal antibody to IGF-I receptors (alpha IR3) was added, the growth of TC cells cultured in serum-free medium was significantly reduced. The growth rate of the cells was restored when the antibody was removed from the medium. These results strongly suggest that TC cells produce IGF-I, which is involved in the regulation of their own growth.

Identification and initial characterization of transforming growth factor-like mitogen(s) in human anterior pituitary

Transforming growth factor (TGFs) are a family of peptide(s) defined by their ability to induce anchorage-independent growth of non-neoplastic indicator cells in soft agar. We found that acid-ethanol extracts of human anterior pituitary tissues were able to stimulate colony growth of normal rat kidney fibroblasts in soft agar. When subjected to gel-filtration on a column of Bio-Gel P-60 in 1 M acetic acid, the majority of TGF activity eluted in fractions corresponding to an apparent mol wt 15,000. The activity was heat- and acid-stable, but was inactivated by treatment with trypsin and dithiothreitol. Pituitary TGF-like materials did not compete with epidermal growth factor (EGF) for receptor binding and did not require EGF for colony-forming activity. Thus, human pituitary TGF was not like type alpha or type beta TGF.