EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR RECEPTOR (EGFR) ANTISENSE TRANSFECTION REDUCES THE EXPRESSION OF EGFR AND SUPPRESSES THE MALIGNANT PHENOTYPE OF A HUMAN OVARIAN-CANCER CELL-LINE

An EGFR-expressing clone of the human ovarian cancer line 2774 was tra nsfected with an antisense construct of EGFR to test how suppression o f this gene modulates the malignant phenotype. Transfected clones were screened for EGFR expression by Western blot and FACS analysis. Ancho rage-independent growth was used to assess the effect of reduced EGFR on the malignant behavior of the cells. Several transfected clones wit h decreased EGFR (40-50% reduction) were identified. A correlation was noted between reduced EGFR and decreased anchorage-independent growth , with the transfected clones losing the ability to grow in agarose an d responsiveness to exogenous EGF. These results suggest that EGFR may be an important factor in the malignant behavior of this ovarian canc er cell line.