Development of neoplastic phenotype following transfection of HNF cells with sarcoma DNA.

DNA isolated from chondrosarcoma cells effectively transformed NIH-3T3 cells and human foreskin fibroblasts. The transfected NIH-3T3 cells, directly implanted three or four passages later, formed progressively growing tumors (greater than or equal to 2.0 cm in diameter) subcutaneously in nude mice. No metastasis was evident upon pathological examination of the tumor bearing mice. Transfected human foreskin fibroblasts that exhibited anchorage independent growth formed only small tumors in nude mice (less than 0.6 cm in diameter). The transfected human cells which exhibited anchorage independent growth reacted with the monoclonal antibody 345.134S, specific for an epitope expressed by human sarcoma cells. The transfected NIH-3T3 cells did not exhibit reactivity with the same monoclonal antibody. Southern blot analysis of the DNA prepared from the transfected NIH-3T3 cells, that developed as a progressively growing tumor in a nude mouse, revealed the presence of human repetitive DNA sequences.