Inhibition of Growth of Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines by Anti-Transforming Growth Factor-α Monoclonal Antibody

Abstract

We previously reported that two human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (A-549 and PC-9) produce human transforming growth factor-α (hTGF-α) and express its receptors. In the present study an exogenously added monoclonal antibody against recombinant hTGF-α inhibited growth of these cell lines in vitro. This result indicated that endogenous hTGF-α produced by the cancer cells can function as an autocrine growth factor. [J Natl Cancer List 1989;81:220–223]