Suppression of uncontrolled nuclear division in somatic cell hybrids of normal and transformed cells
O'Neill, F.J.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute 65(3): 497-506
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0027-8874 PMID: 6931930 Document Number: 154940
Uncontrolled nuclear division (UND), the ability to form highly multinucleated cells following cytochalasin B (CB) treatment, was studied in somatic cell hybrids of cells showing UND crossed to cells exhibiting controlled nuclear division. [The cells were of human, hamster and mouse origin.] The phenotype of UND was compared to 2 other phenotypes of transformation: growth in semisolid medium and propagation to high-saturation density. All 3 phenotypes were monitored early and in several in vitro passages after establishment of hybrids and in various hybrid combinations from a variety of mammalian cell lines. In nearly all hybrids, UND was suppressed and only binculeated cells were formed in CB medium. In 2 hybrids (possibly 3), UND developed following several tissue culture passages. Discordance was seen in the expression or suppression of all 3 phenotypes of transformation. All hybrids showed significant chromosome loss during in vitro passage, and in a few instances this chromosome loss was generally coordinate with the development of UND. It appears unlike that the expression or suppression of UND can be explained by the simple loss or relative abundance of specific chromosomes. In some hybrids that developed UND, the chromosomes of the parent putatively responsible for UND were segregated with greater frequency than were those of the other parent. In other hybrids that remained controlled, there was, nevertheless, extensive chromosome loss.