Extinction of hemoglobin inducibility in Friend erythroleukemia cells by fusion with cytoplasm of enucleated mouse neuroblastoma or fibroblast cells.

Abstract

Friend mouse erythroleukemia cells (T3c1-2 and its subline 5000) can be induced to synthesize Hb after treatment with 1.5% (vol/vol) dimethylsulfoxide. When these cells are fused with nonerythroid cells (namely, mouse neuroblastoma or L cells) Hb induction is extinguished. To determine if the nucleus of the nonerythroid cell is necessary for this extinction, fusions were performed between mouse erythroleukemia cells and enucleated neuroblastoma or L cells. Hb induction was reduced or eliminated in clones of these hybrids even after 6 mo. of continuous culture. These results suggest that the cytoplasm of nonerythroid cells contains factor(s) that extinguish Hb inducibility in erythroleukemic cells and this new phenotype can be inherited.