Chromosome Pulverization in Cultured Normal and Neoplastic Cells Treated With Cytochalasin B

Abstract

Production of polyploid mitoses by treatment with cytochalasin B (CB) resulted in the appearance of chromosome pulverization. Such an effect, however, was observed almost exclusively in cultures of neoplastic cells. CB treatment of cultured normal cells did not lead to chromosome pulverization except with cultures of cord leukocytes. However, pulverization was rare in CB-treated cord leukocytes and significantly lower than that observed in lymphoblasts derived from Burkitt lymphoma. Also, the production of polyploid mitoses in cord leukocytes required a sixFold increase in CB concentration as compared to Burkitt lymphoblasts. The etiology of the observed differences is presently unknown but several possibilities are being investigated.