Effects of Androgens on Shionogi Carcinoma 115 Cells In Vitro

Abstract

In vivo tumor growth from Shionogi carcinoma 115 cells occurred preferentially in male mice. When single cell suspensions from tumors of male mice were adapted to growth in tissue culture, addition of androgen (dihydrotestosterone or testosterone) to the culture affected the rate of cell growth, number of colonies formed, or morphology of the colonies. The effect of androgen on plating efficiency and growth rate varied with the conditions of culture and was greatest under those conditions which prevented attachment of the tumor cells to a solid supporting surface. There was a dose-response relationship between macroscopic colony formation in agar and hormone concentration over physiologic concentrations of testosterone or equimolar concentrations of dihydrotestosterone. The kinetics of the response suggested that a few molecules of androgen acting at the androgenresponsive site of the colony-forming unit effect macroscopic colony formation. In the culture conditions tested, physiologic concentrations of estradiol-17β, progesterone, and hydrocortisone did not produce growth comparable to that obtained with dihydrotestosterone or testosterone.