Effects of EGF-dextran-tyrosine-131I conjugates on the clonogenic survival of cultured glioma cells.

Epidermal growth factor, EGF, and 131I or 125I-labelled tyrosine were conjugated to the sugar polymer dextran. The conjugates bound to EGF-receptor rich human glioma cells in culture and the binding was mainly receptor specific because cells presaturated with nonradioactive EGF gave strongly reduced binding. The 131I labelled conjugates were used in tests on cellular retention and therapeutical effects. 131I activity delivered to the cells as EGF-dextran-tyrosine-131I remained cell-associated for much longer periods of time than 131I activity delivered by only EGF. The amount of cell-associated 131I activity was nearly constant for up to 25 hours. The 131I labelled conjugate gave, after a one hour incubation period for binding followed by a 25 hour incubation in nonradioactive medium, a good therapeutical effect. This effect, which corresponded to about 3.0 Gy of external 60Co radiation, was due to the specifically bound 131I. The comparatively small effects of nonbound 131I in the culture medium, present only during the first incubation hour, were measured in control experiments with presaturated receptors and were corrected for in the evaluation of the EGF-receptor mediated effects. Control experiments showed that neither nonradioactive EGF nor non-radioactive EGF-dextran conjugates gave measurable effects on clonogenic growth. The results obtained were promising and the possibilities to use EGF-dextran conjugates for therapy should be further examined.