Effects of epidermal growth factor on transferrin receptor phosphorylation and surface expression in malignant epithelial cells Journal Article


Authors: Castagnola, J.; MacLeod, C.; Sunada, H.; Mendelsohn, J.; Taetle, R.
Article Title: Effects of epidermal growth factor on transferrin receptor phosphorylation and surface expression in malignant epithelial cells
Abstract: The transferrin (Tf) receptor is a major transmembrane protein which provides iron for normal and malignant cell growth. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been reported to rapidly and transiently alter the number of surface Tf receptors in normal and transformed epithelial cells. To investigate mechanisms of EGF‐induced changes in surface Tf display, EGF effects on surface Tf receptors were compared in two cell lines which differ in their number of EGF receptors and growth responses to EGF. In cloned A431 cells with high receptor numbers which are growth‐inhibited by EGF, EGF caused a 50% decrease in Tf receptor expression after 30 min. In contrast, EGF induced a rapid, transitory increase (within 5 min) in the number of surface Tf receptors on KB carcinoma cells which returned to basal levels by 15 min. The observed changes in Tf receptor display were due to altered receptor distribution and not changes in ligand affinity or total cellular transferrin receptor pools. Anti‐EGF receptor monoclonal antibody blocked effects of EGF on transferrin receptor expression. Since the antibody is internalized and causes EGF receptor down‐regulation, effects on transferrin receptor expression were independent of these events. EGF‐induced alterations in Tf receptor display occurred even when cells were pretreated with colchicine, suggesting that changes in surface Tf binding were not mediated by cytoskeletal components. Na orthovanadate, which mimics some early cellular effects of EGF, duplicated EGF's effects on A431 Tf receptors, but had no effect on KB cells, suggesting these responses occur by differing mechanisms. To determine whether EGF caused changes in Tf receptor phosphorylation, 32P‐labelled Tf receptors were immunoprecipitated after EGF treatment. After exposure to EGF, A431 cells showed no change in Tf phosphorylation, but KB cells showed a transient, 6‐fold increase in transferrin receptor phosphorylation on serine residues. In both A431 and KB cells, phorbol ester (PMA) also increased phosphorylation on transferrin receptors, but had little effect on surface Tf receptor expression. In malignant cell lines, EGF induces rapid, variable changes in transferrin receptor expression and phosphorylation which differ from the effects of PMA. These early responses to EGF appear to differ with the cell type and correlate poorly with alterations in Tf receptor phosphorylation. These results suggest Tf receptor phosphorylation does not regulate Tf receptor display in all cells. Copyright © 1987 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Keywords: epidermal growth factor; controlled study; squamous cell carcinoma; carcinoma, squamous cell; animal; cell line; receptor, epidermal growth factor; phosphorylation; cell transformation, neoplastic; epithelium cell; binding sites; antibodies; epithelium; methionine; phorbol ester; colchicine; tetradecanoylphorbol acetate; transferrin receptor; receptors, transferrin; support, non-u.s. gov't; support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.; vanadium; vanadates
Journal Title: Journal of Cellular Physiology
Volume: 132
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0021-9541
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.  
Date Published: 1987-09-01
Start Page: 492
End Page: 500
Language: English
DOI: 10.1002/jcp.1041320311
PUBMED: 3498729
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 5 February 2021 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Hironobu Sunada
    11 Sunada