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S S Joshi

Publications and source records attributed to S S Joshi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Reverse lectin histochemistry: design and application of glycoligands for detection of cell and tissue lectins.

Plant and invertebrate lectins are valuable cyto- and histological tools for the localization of defined carbohydrate determinants. The well-documented ubiquitous occurrence of sugar receptors encourages functional considerations. Undoubtedly, analysis of the presence of vertebrate lectins in tissues and cells is required to answer the pertinent and tempting question on the physiological relevance of protein (lectin)-carbohydrate recognition in situ. Carrier-immobilized glycoligands, derived from custom-made chemical synthesis, enable the visualization of respective binding sites. Histochemically inert proteins or synthetic polymers with appropriate functional groups are suitable carrier molecules for essential incorporation of ligand and label. The resulting neoglycoconjugates can track down tissue receptors that are neither impaired by fixation procedures nor blocked by endogenous high-affinity ligands. Lectins, especially the receptors of the tissue under investigation (endogenous lectins), and appropriately tailored immobilized glycoligands or lectin-specific antibodies (when available) are complementary tools to test the attractive hypothesis that diverse, functionally relevant glycobiological processes within or between cells are operative. Concomitant evaluation of both sides of lectin histochemistry, namely lectins as tools and lectins as functionally important molecules in situ, will indubitably render desired progress amenable in our often still fragmentary understanding of the importance of tissue lectin and glycoconjugate expression and its regulation.

Animals↗

Significance of detection of occult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in histologically uninvolved bone marrow by a culture technique.

Prolonged disease-free survival of patients with recurrent or resistant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has been achieved with high-dose therapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). A concern with the use of ABMT is that the marrow that is reinfused may contain undetected NHL cells with the potential to reestablish metastatic disease in the recipient. Using a culture technique that is sensitive for detecting occult lymphoma cells in BM, we analyzed histologically normal marrow harvests from 59 consecutive patients with intermediate- or high-grade NHL who were candidates for high-dose therapy and ABMT. The culture results indicated that 22 of the patients had occult lymphoma in their marrow. Forty-three patients underwent high-dose therapy followed by ABMT. Twenty-four achieved a complete clinical remission. Those with occult lymphoma in their harvests (11 patients) continued to relapse for up to 3 years, whereas no relapses were observed beyond 8 months in 13 patients receiving marrow that did not contain detectable lymphoma cells using the culture technique. The relapses in the patients who achieved a complete remission occurred at sites of prior bulky disease rather than at new sites, suggesting that the ability to detect occult lymphoma cells in marrow is a marker of biologic aggressiveness and/or resistance to therapy, or that the reinfused cells could only grow in previously involved sites. The detection of lymphoma cells in marrow used for ABMT is an important adverse prognostic factor, and appears to be independent of other clinical predictors of outcome such as sensitivity or resistance of disease to prior chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗

Association of radiolabeled urogastrone binding with regenerating intestinal mucosa and epidermal growth factor/urogastrone producing organs in rat.

In the present study, we have tested the hypothesis that the regeneration of intestinal epithelium is regulated by changes in the uptake of radiolabeled recombinant human urogastrone (125I rhUG) in the regenerating mucosa and epidermal growth factor/urogastrone (EGF/URO) producing organs in the rats. Operations were performed on rats to approximate the ileal mucosa to the serosal surface of the cecum. This procedure allows the regeneration of ileal mucosa onto the serosal surface of the cecum. Groups of 5 rats were killed on the 2nd, 4th, 8th and 12th post-operative days. Two hours before autopsy, rats were given 0.5 ml (50 microCi with 30 micrograms protein) of 125I rhUG intravenously and the following tissues were removed: regenerating mucosa, salivary gland, duodenum, liver and kidney. Results indicated that the uptake of 125I rhUG was significantly greater in the salivary gland and duodenum on the 2nd post-operative day which gradually tapered with increasing time after surgery. A similar pattern in the uptake of 125I rhUG was also evident in the regenerating mucosa. Further analysis revealed a significant correlation between the uptake of 125I rhUG in the salivary gland and duodenum vs rate of epithelialization and uptake of 125I rhUG in the regenerative mucosa. These results suggested that the endogenous EGF/URO produced in the salivary gland and duodenum may be a factor in the regulation of intestinal regeneration; however, the mechanism responsible for reflex stimulation of EGF/URO production in these organs is not known.

Animals↗

Quantitation of metastatic tumor burden from human colon tumor xenografts using radiolabelled monoclonal antibody 17-A fragments.

In realistic models of human tumor xenograft metastasis, the metastatic foci arise in perivascular sites and rarely grow to sizes which are easily quantifiable by visual inspection. As an alternative approach, we have used monoclonal antibody (MAb) 17-1A F(ab')2 fragments labelled with radioiodine (125I) to study the differential accumulation of label in xenografts and metastatic tumor sites as well as in noninvolved tissues of NIH Swiss nude mice receiving HT-29 human colon tumor cells. Images of the whole-body distribution and sites of localization were determined using a pinhole-collimated Angergamma camera. Radioactivity was determined in tissue samples using a well scintillation system, and pharmacokinetics were assessed during the initial 72 h after injection of antibody fragments. The half-life of 125I-F(ab')2 fragments in the blood, 8.6 h, was similar in nontumor-bearing control and tumor-bearing mice. The half-life in subcutaneous tumor xenografts was 30.1 h. The tumor xenograft to tissue activity ratios per unit weight (radiolocalization indices) at 72 h were: blood 90, lung 65, pancreas 50, muscle 35, spleen 20, liver and mesenteric lymph node 10. All subcutaneous xenografts were successfully imaged, and images of 5 of 9 mice (55%) appeared to demonstrate the presence of metastatic tumor by differential and focal accumulation of MAb fragments after 48 or 72 h in the lung (2 cases) or abdominal cavity (3 cases). Necropsy and subsequent histological and biodistribution studies confirmed the presence of metastatic tumor in these sites and identified tumor in several additional sites. The smallest volume of metastatic tissue in liver or lung determined at necropsy which appeared to have been detected by imaging was about 20 mm3. Generally, for mice with metastatic tumors, the radioactivity per unit weight of metastatic tumor-bearing organs compared to tumor-free organs was 2- to 7-fold greater. The results indicate that a radiolocalization index of > or = 2 is generally necessary for metastatic tumor detection by imaging although this is influenced by the extent of anatomical location of the tumor. It was possible to predict the tissue distribution of the fragments from the planar image for the amounts of radioactivity (approximately 1 mCi/kg body weight) employed in this study. These results demonstrate the utility of this approach to quantitate the metastatic burden arising from human colon tumor xenografts in this experimental model.

Animals↗

Characterization of a newly established human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line, OMA-BL-1.

Using culture techniques, we have been able to grow occult tumor cells from the bone marrow from cancer patients and have developed a new malignant lymphoid cell line, OMA-BL-1, from the bone marrow of a 17-year-old patient with recurrent Burkitt's lymphoma. The tumor cells grew rapidly in vitro in suspension culture, and very aggressively in vivo in athymic nude mice with metastases to the liver and abdominal cavity. The morphological, chromosomal, immunophenotypic and molecular biologic characteristics of fresh uncultured tumor cells from the patient and tumor cells grown in culture and in athymic nude mice were very similar. The cells were positive for Epstein-Barr virus-associated nuclear antigens (EBNA) and chromosome analysis of the cells revealed an atypical chromosomal abnormality of 45,X,-X,i(8q), HSR(18)(q21),t(8;14)(q24;q32). Southern analysis demonstrated that c-myc was rearranged and amplified in these cells. Immunophenotypic analysis of the cells using flow cytometry showed monoclonal B cells expressing a surface IgG-kappa isotype. The tumor cells grown in nude mice had a significant decrease in CD24 expression when compared to cultured tumor cells. Electron microscopy of the fresh and cultured cells revealed Herpes virus, most likely Epstein-Barr virus, particles. This cell line has been maintained in culture for over 18 months. The aggressive growth and metastatic properties of this cell line in athymic nude mice make it a potentially useful experimental model to study the biology of human lymphoma.

Adolescent↗

Effects of 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, pentachlorophenol, methylprednisolone, and Freund's adjuvant on 2-hydroxyethylnitrosourea carcinogenesis in MRC-Wistar rats.

A link was proposed between human non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and exposure to 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (245T) and pentachlorophenol (PCP). To test this view and the hypothesis that immune suppression or stimulation could affect B-cell lymphoma (BCL) induction, we administered chronically to MRC-Wistar (MRC-W) rats of both sexes 98% pure 245T (600 mg/kg diet), 86% pure PCP (500 mg/kg diet), methylprednisolone (20 mg/kg ip weekly), and Freund's adjuvant (0.5 ml im every 3-6 wk) for 40 wk, together with 75 mg 2-hydroxyethylnitrosourea (HENU)/l drinking water, a system known to induce B-cell lymphoma. The 245T was shown to contain only 1-4 micrograms/kg each of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF), but the PCP contained 25 micrograms TCDD and 670 micrograms TCDF/kg. HENU given alone induced B-cell lymphoma and osteosarcoma as before, with higher incidences of both tumors in males than in females. The B-cell lymphoma diagnosis was confirmed by immunologic typing of cell-surface markers and by probes for gene rearrangements. Coadministration with HENU of three of the four test agents did not affect tumor incidence, but PCP acted synergistically with HENU to induce acute myelocytic leukemia. PCP given alone or with HENU induced a 40-67% incidence of liver cell adenomas in the female rats. These effects were probably not due to TCDD in the PCP. HENU induced acute myelocytic leukemia and lung tumors in Wistar rats and n-butylnitrosourea induced acute myelocytic leukemia in MRC-Wistar rats, indicating that B-cell lymphoma induction was specific to the HENU-MRC-Wistar rat model.

2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗

2-Hydroxyethylnitrosourea induction of B cell lymphoma in female Swiss mice.

Groups of 30 adult Swiss mice of both sexes from the Eppley Institute breeding colony were treated with 37.5 or 75 mg 2-hydroxyethylnitrosourea (HENU)/l citrate buffer, given as drinking water on 4 days/week from 6-8 weeks of age for life. A third group of mice was untreated. Incidences of generalized B cell lymphoma (BCL) were 67% (males) and 87% (females) for the higher dose of the nitrosourea, 29% (males) and 79% (females) for the lower dose and 0% (males) and 7% (females) for the untreated mice. Tumor latencies were 23 weeks (high dose) and 27 weeks (low dose) in the females and 6-7 weeks longer in the males. A B-cell origin of the lymphomas was indicated by the pathology and tumor distribution and was confirmed in 4 mice by immunophenotyping and in 6 mice by probes for gene rearrangements. This system may be an effective means of inducing B cell lymphoma with a carcinogen.

Animals↗

Analysis of cell-surface sugar receptor expression by neoglycoenzyme binding and adhesion to plastic-immobilized neoglycoproteins for related weakly and strongly metastatic cell lines of murine tumor model systems.

Recognition of the carbohydrate part of cellular glycoconjugates by cell-surface sugar receptors may contribute to interactions, essential to the establishment of metastases. Comparison of the properties of strongly metastatic variants to their related, less metastatic counterparts offers a generally accepted approach to the discovery of metastasis-associated characteristics. The chemically induced murine lymphoma line Eb and its spontaneously arising variant ESb with increased potential for lung and liver colonization, the virally induced lymphosarcoma cell line RAW117-P and its in vivo selected variant H10 with increased potential for liver colonization, and the B16-F1 melanoma line and its in vivo selected variant F10 with increased potential for lung colonization, were chosen. A panel of 12 types of chemically glycosylated E. coli beta-galactosidase, exposing the pivotal carbohydrate residues for specific carbohydrate-dependent cell binding, was employed to study the expression of respective cell-surface sugar receptors on these cell lines. Specific binding occurred in a non-uniform manner for the individual probes. Systematic measurements at a non-saturating ligand concentration revealed quantitative differences between the 2 cell lines of each system. However, there were no consistent changes associated with the metastatic phenotype. A similar result was obtained employing Scatchard analyses for quantitative evaluation of binding characteristics in several cases. Surface receptor expression was responsive to chemical induction of differentiation in the lymphosarcoma model. Analyses of sugar-inhibitable cell adhesion to neoglycoprotein-coated plastic wells for the lymphoma and lymphosarcoma cells revealed that the presence of cell-surface sugar receptors, even at similar densities to those defined by neoglycoenzyme binding, will not necessarily translate into an identical adhesive response. Several carbohydrates, especially N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, can differentially affect this interaction at a non-toxic concentration in both model systems.

Acetylgalactosamine↗

Pure red cell aplasia associated with B cell lymphoma: demonstration of bone marrow colony inhibition by serum immunoglobulin.

A 58-year old male with follicular small cleaved B cell lymphoma developed pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) during chemotherapy. To understand the etiology of the PRCA, we studied the effects of patient sera on the progenitor cell colony formation of normal human bone marrow cells in vitro. We demonstrated a marked inhibition of normal bone marrow progenitor cell colony formation by patient sera, but not pooled normal human sera. Immunoglobulin was then precipitated from patient sera for similar studies. The majority of the precipitated immunoglobulin was of the IgG type. The immunoglobulin fraction markedly inhibited normal bone marrow progenitor cell colony formation, whereas the non-immunoglobulin fraction was not inhibitory. The presence of inhibitory serum immunoglobulin correlated with the hematologic status of the patient. We conclude that the development of PRCA in patients with B cell lymphoma may be due to a serum IgG inhibitor of bone marrow progenitor cell growth.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗

Differential cell surface antigen expression on metastatic variant lymphoma cell lines.

In the present investigation we have studied the cell surface antigenicity of a syngeneic murine metastatic lymphoma model system. This system is comprised of a highly malignant and metastatic RAW117-H10 subline and the less malignant/metastatic parental RAW117-P cell line. Using rabbit antisera raised against whole tumor cells we have been able to identify two major glycoprotein antigens which are differentially expressed on the cells. Although these antigens have a similar molecular weight (70 kD), they are antigenically distinct as determined by in vitro cytotoxicity assays. The levels of glycosylation on these glycoproteins were also found to be different. Increased expression of one of the antigenic components on the metastatic RAW117-H10 cells appeared to be associated with metastasis in this tumor model system.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

Differential susceptibility of metastatic lymphoma cells to natural immunity.

The susceptibility of metastatic variant lymphoma cells to natural immunity was studied using a low malignant/metastatic parental RAW117-P cell line and its liver colonizing highly malignant/metastatic RAW117-H10 cell line. The metastatic variant RAW117-H10 cells express a significantly lower amount of laminin-like and fibronectin-like molecules as determined by flow cytometry using monospecific polyclonal antibodies to laminin and fibronectin. Our studies indicated that the RAW117-H10 cells are resistant to natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity. In vitro activation of the effector cells with interferon-gamma increased the susceptibility of these cells to NK-mediated cytotoxicity while maintaining the difference between the two cell lines. However, when recombinant interleukin-2 was used to activate the effector cells, the cytotoxicity of the lymphokine-activated effector cells to both parental low metastatic RAW117-P cells and highly metastatic RAW117-H10 cells was similar.

Animals↗

Levels of detection of tumor cells in human bone marrow with or without prior culture.

With an in vitro culture technique combined with light microscopy, immunocytochemistry and molecular probing, we previously detected occult tumor cells in histologically-normal human bone marrow harvested for autologous transplantation. In this study, we mixed known numbers of malignant lymphoid (Raji and CEM) or breast cancer (MCF-7) cells with normal human bone marrow cells to determine the levels at which tumor cells can be detected before and after culture. Cytocentrifuge preparations were made before culture and after 2 or more weeks of culture and examined by light microscopy. We detected contaminating lymphoma cells at a level of more than 5% before culture, and at a level of 0.01% after culture for 2 or more weeks in 2% human lymphocyte conditioned medium. Before culture, we detected MCF-7 cells at a level of 0.001% using glucose oxidase immunocytochemical staining techniques; these cells were detected at a level of 0.00001% after culture. Since, of necessity, these calibrations rations were performed using cell lines, it is likely that these results overestimate the absolute sensitivity of these methods for detection of tumor cells in patient samples. We found the glucose oxidase immunocytochemical method more specific for detecting occult tumor cells in bone marrow than the immunoperoxidase staining method because of the absence of non-specific staining arising from endogenous peroxidase in bone marrow cells which makes the interpretation of the latter difficult. We conclude that culture techniques can increase the sensitivity of detection of occult tumor cells in human bone marrow about 100-fold.

Bone Marrow↗

Comparison of the growth and metastasis of four human intestinal tumor cell line xenografts.

The growth and metastasis of four human intestinal tumor cell lines: one duodenal adenocarcinoma (HTB-40) and three adenocarcinomas of the colon (CCL-218, CCL-222 and HT-29) have been compared in vitro and in vivo in nude mice. HTB-40 was the fastest growing cell line in vitro with a doubling time (DT) of 14.8 h. CCL-218 and CCL-222 grew more slowly in vitro with doubling times of 21.6 and 22.8 hours, respectively. All three of these tumors grew more slowly in vivo with doubling times ranging from 39.1 h (CCL-218 in male nude mice) to 65.3 h (CCL-222). The growth of CCL-218 cells was significantly slower in female nude mice DT 51.0 h). HT-29 was the slowest growing in vitro (DT 23.8 h) and in vivo (DT about 100 h). HT-29 also showed the greatest discrepancy between its DT measured in vivo as compared to in vitro, suggesting a greater clonogenic cell loss from HT-29 tumors in vivo. Histologic evaluation of these tumors grown subcutaneously in nude mice showed all to be anaplastic and to produce liver micrometastases. However, more extensive abdominal and liver metastases were observed in the nude mice injected with HT-29 cells, and some of these metastases had morphologic features of moderately well-differentiated epithelium. These results indicate the usefulness of the HT-29 tumor cell line as an experimental model of metastasis from a human colonic adenocarcinoma.

Animals↗

Preferential in-vitro growth and expansion of leukemic T lymphoblasts.

An in-vitro culture system was used to selectively grow malignant cells from the bone marrow of a patient with acute T-lymphoblastic leukemia. Molecular analysis of DNA extracted from the bone marrow cells before culture showed the presence of both rearranged and germ line patterns for the T-cell beta receptor (CTB) gene, and chromosomal analysis revealed the presence of a major and a minor abnormal clone. The cells were cultured in RPMI medium supplemented with 20% fetal calf serum, 2% lymphocyte conditioned medium, L-glutamine and antibiotics. The presence of malignant cells in the cultured population was confirmed by morphologic, molecular probing and cytogenetic analysis. After four weeks in culture, DNA extracted from the cultured cells showed only the rearranged pattern for the CTB gene. Chromosomal analysis of the same cultured sample revealed only the presence of the initially predominant abnormal clone. Shortly thereafter, analysis of fresh uncultured bone marrow cells from the patient in relapse revealed that the same chromosomally abnormal clone also predominated in vivo. Thus, our results demonstrate the selective nature of this culture system and its ability to amplify leukemic T-lymphoblasts. This culture system is also useful for detecting occult malignant cells in histologically normal bone marrow.

Adult↗

Acute leukemia expressing the normal human hematopoietic stem cell membrane glycoprotein CD34 (MY10).

Thirty-one cases of acute leukemia with blast cells greater than or equal to 70% positive for the hematopoietic stem cell Ag, CD34 (MY10, HPCA-1), were identified from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center over an 18-month period. Fourteen of the cases were classified as early B-lineage ALL, 3 cases were other ALL subtypes, and 14 of the cases were ANLL. Five of the 17 cases of ALL expressed one or more myeloid-associated surface Ags, 3 ANLL cases expressed CD10 (CALLA, J5), and T-lymphoid Ags were present in 12 of 31 cases (1 T-cell ALL, 3 of 16 B-lineage ALL cases, and 8 of 14 ANLL cases). Eleven of 12 CD34+ ALL cases studied had abnormal karyotypes; only 7 of 12 CD34+ ANLL cases studied had abnormal karyotypes, and 3 of these were CD10+ ANLL. Six cases were Ph1 positive, including the one mature B cell ALL, 4 early B-lineage ALL, and 1 CD10+ ANLL case. Good and poor prognosis subgroups of high frequency of expression of CD34 leukemias could be identified, generally, as would have been predicted by previously defined criteria. Thus, of the 10 Ph1-negative early B-lineage ALL patients, 9 achieved CR (90%). At the other extreme, the CR rate of CD10- ANLL was 4 of 11 (36%). The leukemias characterized by greater than or equal to 70% of cells positive for CD34 form a relatively undifferentiated subset of the leukemias which may show features associated with more than one lineage, and if CD10- and myeloid morphology, may respond poorly to therapy.

Antigens, CD34↗

Effects of differentiation inducing chemicals on in vivo malignancy and NK susceptibility of metastatic lymphoma cells.

In the present investigation we have determined the effects of the differentiation-inducing chemicals dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and sodium butyrate on the growth and tumorigenicity of a highly malignant/metastatic cell line (RAW117-H10) and its less tumorigenic parental lymphoma cell line (RAW117-P). Both of these agents at doses shown to be nontoxic slowed the growth of these cells in suspension culture and significantly lengthened the doubling time while reducing colony formation in the agar tumor stem cell assay. Corresponding to these observations, the in vivo tumorigenicity of the highly malignant RAW117-H10 line was reduced by both chemicals but particularly by butyrate treatment. In addition, both agents increased the expression of some glycoproteins and the glycolipid asialo GM1. There was also a corresponding increase in the NK susceptibility of the normally NK resistant RAW117-H10 cells. To determine if the decreased malignancy of the highly malignant cells following treatment with the chemical agents was primarily due to the alteration in cell surface glycoconjugates or merely due to concomitant decreased growth potential, we transplanted highly glycosylated membrane fragments from normal syngeneic thymocytes to both RAW117-P and RAW117-H10 cells using a Sendai virus mediated membrane fusion technique. The in vivo tumorigenicity of the membrane altered RAW117-H10 cells was significantly decreased. These results strongly suggest that the decreased in vivo malignancy of RAW117-H10 cells resulting from treatment with chemical differentiation agents is caused by their increased susceptibility to NK cell mediated lysis which in turn results from cell surface changes involving altered, primarily increased, expression of certain glycosylated surface molecules. The cell surface glycoconjugates, such as receptors for certain lectins and glycolipid asialo GM1, can be used as markers for malignant potential and NK sensitivity of malignant lymphoid cells.

Animals↗

Cell surface properties associated with malignancy of metastatic large cell lymphoma cells.

The highly malignant and metastatic RAW117-H10 cell line was developed by in vivo selection from the Abelson leukemia virus induced parental RAW117-P lymphoma. In this study we have characterized these cell lines with regard to their expression of lymphocyte and macrophage differentiation antigens, adherence, phagocytic properties, binding of various lectins, binding of antibodies to glycolipid asialo-monoganglioside, and the role of butanol extractable cell surface molecules to determine if any of these cell surface properties are associated with the malignant potential of RAW117-H10 cells. The only major difference in immunological phenotypes between RAW117-P and RAW117-H10 cells was an increased expression of Thy-1 molecules by the latter. However, the highly malignant RAW117-H10 cells bound significantly less concanavalin A, Ricinia communis agglutinin, succinylated wheat germ agglutinin, and particularly anti-asialomonoganglioside than their parental counterpart and were resistant to natural killer cell mediated cytolysis. Removal of butanol extractable cell surface molecules significantly decreased the malignancy of RAW117-H10 cells and increased their susceptibility to natural killer cell mediated cytolysis. The butanol treated RAW117-H10 cells regained high in vivo malignancy when recultured for 3 days to permit regeneration of their cell surface components. The butanol extracted RAW117-H10 cells still expressed high levels of Thy-1 indicating that this most probably represented "inappropriate" antigen expression. Since the expression of lymphocyte differentiation antigens did not correlate with the malignant behavior of the cells, we postulate that these antigenic differences merely represent phenotypic variation. The decreased malignant potential of the butanol treated RAW117-H10 cells did correlate with increased cell surface anti-asialomonoganglioside binding (glycolipid) and increased natural killer cell susceptibility.

Animals↗

Differential growth characteristics of low and high metastatic variant RAW117 murine lymphosarcoma cells.

The Abelson-virus-induced murine lymphosarcoma cell line RAW117-P and its in vivo selected highly malignant and metastatic variant RAW117-H10 have been studied for their growth in vivo, in vitro and in semi-solid agar. The highly malignant metastatic variant RAW117-H10 cells killed syngeneic Balb/c mice rapidly and formed 100-200 times more gross liver tumor nodules than the less malignant parental RAW117-P cells. On the other hand, there were no differences between the in vitro growth kinetics of these cells as measured by various parameters such as metaphase arrest or cells in DNA synthetic phase on various days after the initiation of the culture. These cells could be grown in semi-solid agar and formed characteristic colonies. The parental cells formed many very small colonies, whereas the highly malignant cells formed fewer, but very large colonies in soft agar. These results suggest that differential interactions of highly malignant RAW117-H10 cells with the host, particularly the host immune system, are much more important for regulating the number of metastases than any intrinsic growth advantages. It appears that growth differences, potentially based on lack of response to feedback inhibition rather than on kinetic parameters, are responsible for highly malignant RAW117-H10 cells forming larger colonies both in agar in vitro and in the liver in vivo.

Animals↗