A G2/M cell cycle block in transformed cells by contact with normal neighbors.
Neighbour suppression of growth of tumour cells by stationary normal cells might be important in early stages of cancer. We have studied this using suppressor and non-suppressor lines of 3T3 fibroblasts and SV40 transformed derivatives. Growth suppression of transformed cells depended on direct contact with stationary confluent cultures of 3T3 cells but not on gap junction communication. It was not caused by apoptosis nor through the normal G0/G1 block present in the confluent normal cells. Instead, there was a progressive elongation of the cell cycle leading to arrest in G2/M in the transformed cells. This indicates an unusual type of growth arrest not previously involved in social control of cell growth.
Allard
David
D
Medical Research Council Centre, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
Stoker
Michael
M
Gherardi
Ermanno
E
D000818:Animals; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D041701:Swiss 3T3 Cells; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming