N,N-dimethylformamide-induced modulation of organ- and tumor-associated markers in cultured human colon carcinoma cells.

Cultured human colon carcinoma cells were induced by the polar solvent N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to express a more differentiated phenotype as indicated by three types of antigen markers. Carcinoembryonic antigen expression in all DMF-induced cell lines was enhanced. Exposure of cells to DMF resulted in a reduction in ability to bind antibody to tumor-derived colon mucoprotein antigen (CMA) with a concomitant gain in binding of antibody to normal CMA. DMF-induced differentiation was further indicated by modulation of blood group antigen expression. DMF treatment decreased the amount of expression of the H-gene determinant. When DMF-treated cells were cultured in the absence of DMF for 14 days, the levels of expression of the antigen markers reverted to those characteristic of their untreated counterparts.