Production of somatomedin-like activity by human adult tumor-derived, transformed, and normal cell cultures and by cultured rat hepatocytes: effects of culture conditions and of epidermal growth factor (urogastrone).

We have measured the production of a basic-somatomedin-like activity (SLA) by a variety of human tumor-derived, transformed, and normal postnatal cell cultures; and we have compared the production of SLA by these cell types with the production of SLA by adult rat hepatocytes cultured in serum-free medium. Cells derived from a human epidermoid carcinoma (KB), a pancreatic carcinoma (Panc-1), a Simian virus 40 transformed adult human skin-derived cell line (SV40 fibroblasts), and a normal adult human skin-derived fibroblast line released SLA when cultured in a serum-free growth medium. No SLA was recovered from the culture medium of human choriocarcinoma-derived cells (BeWo) or of a human lymphoblastoid cell line (IM-9). The production of SLA by rat hepatocytes cultured in serum-free medium appeared to exceed the production of SLA by the other cell cultures. In cultures of KB cells, SV40 fibroblasts, and rat hepatocytes, the production of SLA depended on the frequency with which the growth medium was renewed; in general, the highest rates of SLA production were observed when the medium was renewed every 48-72 h. The presence of mouse epidermal growth factor (urogastrone) (EGF-URO) in the serum-free culture medium stimulated the production of SLA by KB cells and by rat hepatocytes, but did not increase SLA production by normal or by SV40-transformed human skin-derived fibroblasts. We conclude that tumor-derived cells are capable of producing somatomedin-like activity and that the production of SLA by such cells can be subject to controls (nutrient availability, EGF-URO stimulation) that regulate SLA production, either by normal adult tissues, like liver, or by a variety of normal embryonic tissues.