Suppression of tumorigenicity in somatic cell hybrids

Abstract

An analysis for cosegregation of chromosomes and tumorigenicity in 52 hybrids of human diploid × D98AH2 human carcinoma-derived cells reveals the consistent presence of four copies of chromosome 11 in all nontumorigenic hybrids (two from each of the parental cells) and a consistent loss of one or two copies of the 11 in all tumor cells derived from tumorigenic hybrids that grow in nude mice. In our earlier study, assays with restriction fragment length polymorphic (RFLP) markers for the cell parent origin of the chromosomes 11 in the hybrids indicated that at least one of the Nos. 11 lost in the tumor cells is from the diploid. Thus both Nos. 11 of the diploid seem to be required for complete and stable suppression of the tumorigenic phenotype. The results of the present study suggest that chromosome 2 may also carry suppressor information, but this causes only partial suppression of the tumorigenic phenotype in the absence of both Nos. 11. On the other hand, when the hybrids contain full complements of the 2 and the 11, suppression is very stable. All other chromosomes except for Nos. 1, 16, 17, 19, and 21 are clearly discordant with suppression. The latter chromosomes are not discordant often enough to allow their exclusion as possible carriers of suppressor information, particularly in the absence of RFLP evaluations. It is clear, however, that if they do carry such information it is not adequate for maintaining a stably suppressed phenotype in the absence of both Nos. 11 of the diploid.