Effects of 4-hydroxytamoxifen on the growth and proliferation of prolactinomas CH3 cells

AIM: To investigate the effect of estrogen antagonists on the in vitro growth of human prolactinomas. METHODS: RT-PCR was applied to the detection of estrogen receptor (ER) mRNA expressed in a human prolactinomas CH3 cell strain. Estradiol and 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHTam) were added respectively at different concentrations into the culture medium. Cell number and levels of ER mRNA were examined. RESULTS: The growth of CH3 cells became slower in estrogen-deprived medium than that in nomal culture and was higher in medium containing estrogen(E2) at concentration of 10^-8 mol/L than at concentration of 10^-6 mol/L. OHTam (10^-6mol/L) inhibited the growth of CH3 cell strain treated with E2. The expression of ER mRNA in CH3 cells was observed, the levels of ER mRNA in the E2 (10^-8mol/L) group, higher than those in estrogen deprived group. OHTam (10^-6mol/L) obviously inhibited the expression of ER mRNA. CONCLUSION: The growth of CH3 cells depends on estrogen, estrogen antagonists inhibits the growth of CH3 cells and decline the levels of ER mRNA. ER levels in human prolactinomas cell lines can be auto-regulated.