Abstract
The long-range goal of this laboratory is to explore the role of growth factors and receptors for growth factors in regulating the proliferation of malignant cells. A distinctive feature of our approach is an hypothesis that monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that block the binding of growth factors to their receptors might be effective antitumor agents. Our current studies focus upon epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor, which are of special interest because of three recent discoveries. First, many tumor cells appear to secrete transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α), which can bind to the EGF receptor and produce autoregulation of proliferation through an «autocrine» pathway. Second, the v-erb B oncogene codes for a truncated version of the EGF receptor, which implicates the gene for the EGF receptor as a proto-oncogene. Third, it has been found that many human tumor cells express high levels of EGF receptors on their plasma membranes, and high expressers have a poorer prognosis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Kawamoto T, Sato JD, Le A, Polikoff J, Sato GH, Mendelsohn J (1983) Growth stimulation of A431 cells by EGF: Identification of high affinity receptors for epidermal growth factor by an antireceptor monoclonal antibody. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 80: 1337–1341
Gill GN, Kawamoto T, Cochet C, Le A, Sato JD, Masui H, MacLeod CL, Mendelsohn J (1984) Monoclonal anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibodies which are inhibitors of epidermal growth factor binding and antagonists of epidermal growth factor-stimulated tyrosine protein kinase activity. J Biol Chem 259: 7755–7760
Masui H, Kawamoto T, Sato JD, Wolf B, Sato GH, Mendelsohn J (1984) Growth inhibition of human tumor cells in athymic mice by anti-EGF receptor monoclonal antibodies. Cancer Res 44: 1002–1007
Goldenberg A, Masui H, Divgi C, Kamrath H, Pentlow K, Mendelsohn J (1989) EGF receptor overexpression and localization of nude mice xenografts using indium labelled anti-EGF receptor monoclonal antibody. J Natl Ca Inst 81: 1616–1625
Sunada H, Yu P, Peacock JS, Mendelsohn J (1990) Modulation of tyrosine serine and threonine phosphorylation and intracellular processing of the epidermal growth factor by antireceptor monoclonal antibody. J Cell Physiol 142: 284–292
Divgi C, Welt C, Kris M, Real FX, Yeh SDJ, Gralla R, Merchant B, Schweighart S, Unger M, Larson SM, Mendelsohn J (1991) Phase I and imaging trial of indium-111 labelled anti-EGF receptor monoclonal antibody 225 in patients with squamous cell lung carcinoma. J Natl Ca Inst 83: 97–104
Van de Vijver M, Kumar R, Mendelsohn J (1991) Ligand-induced activation of A431 cell EGF receptors occurs primarily by an autocrine pathway that acts upon receptors on the surface rather than intracellularly. J Biol Chem 266: 7503–7508
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer-Verlag France
About this paper
Cite this paper
Mendelsohn, J. (1994). Anti-EGF receptor monoclonal antibodies as potential anti-cancer therapy. In: Banzet, P., Holland, J.F., Khayat, D., Weil, M. (eds) Cancer Treatment An Update. Springer, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-2-8178-0765-2_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-2-8178-0765-2_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Paris
Print ISBN: 978-2-8178-0767-6
Online ISBN: 978-2-8178-0765-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive