Growth properties and susceptibility to viral transformation of skin fibroblasts from individuals at high genetic risk for colorectal cancer.

Growth characteristics and susceptibility to viral transformation were compared in cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with Gardner's syndrome (GS), those with familial polyposis coli (FP), asymptomatic family members, and unrelated controls. Compared to cells from unrelated controls, cells from 4 of 5 GS patients were transformed by Kirsten murine sarcoma virus at 100- to 1,000-fold increased efficiency. The transformation efficiencies of fibroblasts from 2 of 3 FP patients were 10- to 100-fold greater than those of unrelated controls. However, because the fibroblasts from some of the young asymptomatic GS and FP family members also transformed at higher efficiency than did cells from unrelated controls, long-term observation of these families is required. This would determine whether or not these members develop clinical manifestations of GS or FP and thus establish the specificitiy of this assay for detection of individuals bearing the mutant gene. Compared to fibroblasts from unrelated controls, GS and FP fibroblasts showed a twofold to threefold increased saturation density and plating efficiency, but this difference was not noted with fibroblasts from most of the asymptomatic family members.