Dear Dr. Joan Navarro

The MDA-MB-468 cells appear to possess an autocrine growth stimulatory capacity. In one study (paper attached below), in the presence of antibody and increasing concentrations of EGF, MDA-MB--468 cell growth was first stimulated and then inhibited as the EGF concentration increased, thus, uncovering the growth stimulatory potential of low concentration of EGF in these cells. The data presented in this study indicates that MDA-MB-468 cells secrete a transforming growth factor with autocrine growth stimulatory capabilities. The use of monoclonal anti-EGF receptor antibodies block the access of EGF and TGFa to the receptor and thus inhibit cellular proliferation providing a tool for studying autocrine-stimulated growth.

One role that the EGF receptor system may play in the oncogenic growth of cells is through autocrine-stimulated growth. If cells express the EGFR and secrete EGF and/or TGFa, then such cells could stimulate their own growth. Since some human breast cancer cell lines and tumors express EGFR and secrete TGFa, an autocrine growth stimulatory pathway has been proposed in breast cancer.

I have attached an interesting paper which you may want to refer for more information.

https://academic.oup.com/mend/article/3/11/1830/2713787

Regards,

Malcolm Nobre