Biochemically differentiated mouse glial lines carrying a nervous system specific cell surface antigen (NS-1).

Six biochemically differentiated clonal lines have been established from a transplantable glioma (tg26) of the C57BL/6 inbred mouse strain. Antibodies have been previously raised against G26 tumor cells, which define a cell surface component(s), NS-1 (nervous system antigen-1), found exclusively in the nervous system. NS-1 concentrations approximate the levels of the original G26 tumor when the clonal lines are grown as clonal tumors in vivo, but are reduced when the cells are grown in vitro. NS-1 concentrations are further reduced in vitro upon incubation of the cells with 1 mM dibutyryl 3:5-cyclic AMP. H-2 histocompatibility antigen concentration, in contrast, is unaffected by dibutyryl cAMP. In addition to expressing NS-1, the neuroectodermal origin of these cell lines is further confirmed by their synthesis of the nervous system specific acidic protein S-100 and by the high specific activity of the enzyme 2:3-cyclic nucleotide 3-phosphohydrolase. In addition, they respond to catecholamines by the elevation of intracellular 3:5-cyclic AMP levels. Whereas expression of S-100 protein is high under in vitro conditions but negligible after one passage in vivo, 2:3-cyclic nucleotide 3-phosphohydrolase is not detectable in vitro but becomes detectable again in vivo. The two membrane-bound constituents, NS-1 and 2:3-cyclic nucleotide 3-phosphohydrolase, therefore seem to be subjected to different regulatory mechanisms from that of the soluble, intracellular S-100 protein.