Lack of evidence of chalone activity in used medium and extract of JB-1 tumor cells in vitro. A flow cytometry study.

In cell-free mouse ascites fluid from the JB-1 ascites tumor in the plateau phase of growth low-molecular chalone substances have been found which reversibly and specifically arrest JB-1 cells in the G1 and G2 phase of the cell cycle. The aim of this study was to investigate whether chalones were involved in the regulation of in vitro growth of JB-1 tumor cells. Used medium and cell extract from confluent, stationary JB-1 cell cultures were investigated for proliferation-inhibitory properties. JB-1 cells from stationary cultures were explanted in test cultures and the traverse of cells through the S phase was investigated by means of flow cytometry (FCM). Inhibition--expressed as a delay of the traverse of cells through the S phase--was not observed when a surplus of used medium, concentrated and fractionated used medium or concentrated and fractionated cell extract from JB-1 cells in vitro was added to test cultures. On the contrary, used medium and concentrated and fractionated used medium stimulated growth. Thus, no involvement of chalones in the growth regulation of JB-1 tumor cells in vitro was detected.