A comparative study of some growth characteristics and cell-surface properties of neoplastic cells

Abstract

Tumour cells from a polyoma-induced ascitic tumour were fractionated on the basis of the electrical charge on the cell surface by free-flow electrophoresis. Several characteristics of tumour cells have been investigated: (1) differences in the proliferation and antigenicity within the tumour at any point in time, (2) variation in proliferative potential with the ageing of the tumour. In early ascitic tumours, electrophoretically fractionated cells exhibit very similar proliferative characteristics. However, most DNA synthesis was found in slow-moving cells. The behaviour of older tumours was different. Proliferative potential and DNA synthesis were weaker and restricted to slow-moving cells, suggesting that fast-moving cells in older tumours were resting cells. An enrichment in immunoglobulin-bearing cells was also found in slow-moving cell fractions, supporting the hypothesis of variability in expression of tumour-specific antigens. The role of cell-surface properties and cell kinetics is discussed in relation to electrical surface charge, which might be involved in cell dissemination and metastasis. Thus, free-flow electrophoresis represents a satisfactory approach to isolate tumour cell subpopulations with characteristics such as high proliferative potential or increased expression of tumour antigens.