INFLUENCE OF HUMAN LUTEINIZING-HORMONE ON CELL-GROWTH AND CA-125 SECRETION OF PRIMARY EPITHELIAL OVARIAN CARCINOMAS IN-VITRO

In the present study, the influence of human luteinizing hormone (hLH) on the growth and the CA 125 secretion of primary ovarian carcinoma c ell cultures derived from 11 previously untreated patients was investi gated. Two different patterns of in vitro growth of unstimulated ovari an carcinoma cells could be detected: 5 cell cultures in which no chan ges of cell number were observed during an incubation period of 6 days (group A) and 6 cell cultures which grew without any hormonal support (group B). All tumors of group A showed enhanced cell proliferation w hen hLH was added to the culture medium, reaching a maximum at dosages of 100 mIU/ml on day 2 after incubation, while such an effect was not observed in group B. In most cases, no positive correlation was found between hLH-induced cell growth and CA 125 release. Our findings demo nstrated a dose-dependent hLH-induced stimulation of epithelial ovaria n tumors in vitro.