The effects of 5-bromodeoxyuridine on the growth and morphology of transformed rat liver cells.

The effects of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) on the growth, morphology, and tumorigenicity of the spontaneously transformed rat liver cell line R72/3 were studied. These cells grow either in suspension or in a monolayer and are tumorigenic. In monolayer cultures, cells treated with low concentrations (2.5 micrograms/ml) of BrdUrd were larger, more spread out, and more firmly attached to the substratum than were untreated controls. Treated cells failed to grow in suspension or on confluent monolayers of 3T3 cells and did not form colonies in soft agar. Scanning electron microscopy revealed extensive flattening of treated cells and a dramatic reduction in the number of microvilli on the cell surface. Transmission electron microscopy showed an increase in polyribosomes and rough endoplasmic reticulum, as well as an enlargement of endoplasmic reticulum cisternae and a complete absence of the bundles of intermediate size filaments that were conspicuous in untreated cells. The persistence of these changes required the continuous presence of BrdUrd in the medium. The effects of BrdUrd were readily reversed by withdrawal of BrdUrd and were not expressed in the presence of excess thymidine.