Differential responses to growth factors by normal human mesothelial cultures from individual donors

Our plain-English summary of Differential responses to growth factors by normal human mesothelial cultures from individual donors, by J.F. Lechner, M.A. LaVeck, B.I. Gerwin, et al (Journal of Cellular Physiology, 1989).

The study

• Authors: J.F. Lechner, M.A. LaVeck, B.I. Gerwin, E.A. Matis
• Journal: Journal of Cellular Physiology
• Published: 1989;139(2):295-300
• Cited by: 29 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

A significant interindividual variation in the growth rates is found in normal cultured human mesothelial (NHM) cells derived from different donors. This variation is observed when the mesothelial cells are incubated in medium containing serum and when the potencies of several separate growth factors are measured by using defined media. Depending on the donor, gamma-interferon and interleukin-2 can be toxic, have no effect, or stimulate the growth rate of NHM cells. Cultured NHM cells can be induced to multiply by growth factors that are released by activated macrophages. Thus, interindividual variation in NHM cell growth control could play a role in the pathogenesis of mesothelioma for a person exposed to asbestos.

In plain English

This laboratory study grew normal human mesothelial cells from pleural (chest) fluid taken from 57 adults with no known cancers. The researchers measured how fast each donor's cells multiplied in serum-containing medium and how the cells responded to individual growth factors. The article does not describe exposing the cells to asbestos. Growth varied widely between donors, from 201 to 15,048 units on a radioactive DNA-synthesis measure, with an average culture at 4,000. When 14 cultures spanning this range were retested two passages later, their rates were not significantly different from before. In cells from eight donors, the same growth factor could stimulate growth, have no effect, or inhibit growth. Gamma-interferon and interleukin-2 killed one donor's cells. Six of the eight cultures grew best in the standard serum medium. Growth differences did not correlate with the donors' illnesses, sex or age. Growing cells in one factor did not make them favor that factor afterward. The authors concluded that this donor-to-donor variation could play a role in the development of mesothelioma in a person exposed to asbestos. They stated that the reasons for the variation are unknown.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Laboratory (in vitro) study of cultured normal human mesothelial cells from many individual donors
• Who was studied: Normal human mesothelial cell cultures grown from pleural fluid of 57 adult donors of both sexes with no known malignancies, who had chest fluid drawn for medical reasons; work done at the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
• Exposure: No asbestos exposure was tested. Cells were grown in serum-containing medium and in media containing single growth factors, including gamma- and beta-interferon, interleukin-1, interleukin-2, TGF-beta, PDGF, TGF-alpha, EGF and FGF.
• Main results:
  • Across the 57 donors' cultures, growth in serum medium ranged from 201 to 15,048 3H DPM per culture. The average culture incorporated 4,000 3H DPM.
  • Fourteen cultures whose growth rates spanned this range were retested two passages later. For each, the rate was not significantly different from the earlier rate (data not shown).
  • In cultures from eight donors, responses to growth factors were not uniform: a factor could stimulate growth, have no effect, or inhibit growth.
  • Depending on the donor, gamma-interferon and interleukin-2 were toxic, had no effect, or stimulated growth. Donor B's cells were killed in media containing these factors.
  • Six of the eight cultures grew best in the standard serum/EGF medium.
  • Growth-rate variation did not correlate with the donors' clinical complaints, sex or age.
  • Growing cells in a single growth factor did not make them grow best in that factor afterward. The authors reported that selection or imprinting did not occur.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that interindividual variation in mesothelial cell growth control could play a role in the development of mesothelioma in a person exposed to asbestos.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors stated that the reasons for the variation between donors are unknown.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Mesothelial Cells, Macrophage, Mesothelioma.

Related studies

• Expression of growth factor and growth factor receptor RNA in rat pleural mesothelial cells in culture — E. Bermudez, J. Everitt, et al. (1990)
• SV40, growth factors, and mesothelioma: another piece of the puzzle — B.T. Mossman, D.C. Gruenert (2002)
• Proliferation of rat pleural mesothelial cells in response to hepatocyte and keratinocyte growth factors — I.Y. Adamson, J. Bakowska, et al. (2000)
• Growth factor responses and protooncogene expression of murine mesothelial cell lines derived from asbestos-induced mesotheliomas — L.A. Goodglick, C.A. Vaslet, et al. (1997)
• Increased epidermal growth factor-receptor protein in a human mesothelial cell line in response to long asbestos fibers — J.C. Pache, Y.M. Janssen, et al. (1998)
• Rat pleural mesothelial cells adapted to serum-free medium as a model for the study of growth factor effects — E. Bermudez, B. Libbus, et al. (1998)

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