Abstract
We have examined levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) in neoplastic and non-neoplastic bladder tissue using a standard radioimmunoassay technique. Tumour samples had much higher TGF-alpha levels compared with EGF and TGF-alpha levels in malignant tissue were significantly higher than in benign bladder samples. There was, in addition, a difference in mean EGF levels from 'normal' bladder samples from non-tumour bearing areas of bladder in patients with bladder cancer compared with 'normal' bladder tissue obtained at the time of organ retrieval surgery. Levels of EGF and TGF-alpha did not correlate with levels of EGF receptor (EGFR) as determined by a radioligand binding method but levels of TGF-alpha > 10 ng gm-1 of tumour tissue did correlate with EGFR positivity defined using immunohistochemistry. These data suggest that TGF-alpha is the likely ligand for EGFR in bladder tumours.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mellon, J., Cook, S., Chambers, P. et al. Transforming growth factor alpha and epidermal growth factor levels in bladder cancer and their relationship to epidermal growth factor receptor. Br J Cancer 73, 654–658 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1996.114
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1996.114
This article is cited by
-
High serum TGF-α predicts poor response to lapatinib and capecitabine in HER2-positive breast cancer
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (2011)
-
hEGR1 is induced by EGF, inhibited by gefitinib in bladder cell lines and related to EGF receptor levels in bladder tumours
British Journal of Cancer (2007)
-
Expression of HER3, HER4 and their ligand heregulin-4 is associated with better survival in bladder cancer patients
British Journal of Cancer (2004)
-
TGF-α antisense gene therapy inhibits head and neck squamous cell carcinoma growth in vivo
Gene Therapy (2000)
-
Isolation and characterization of a novel bladder cancer cell line: Inhibition by epidermal growth factor
In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal (1998)