title: Induction of a malignant phenotype in BALB/c 3t3 cells by 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane.
abstract: BALB/c 3T3 cells transformed by 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, the most toxic chloroethane, acquired a fully malignant phenotype. They were capable of growing in soft agar, were tumorigenic when injected in athymic mice and produced pulmonary nodules after i.v. injection. Untreated BALB/c 3T3 cells were weakly tumorigenic (3/9 animals developed tumors after a longer time) and induced rare pulmonary nodules in a low percentage of animals. Transformed cells were also invasive in the chemoinvasion assay. Moreover, they grew in a gel of reconstituted basement membrane (matrigel), penetrating the gel and assuming a branching morphology that has been associated to the malignant phenotype. By contrast, spontaneous transformants isolated from solvent controls were poorly invasive in these assays. These results show that 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane could play a role in the late steps of multistage carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: IST GENOVA,DEPT CHEM CARCINOGENESIS & TOXICOL EVALUAT,I-16132 GENOA,ITALY. UNIV GENOA,INST ONCOL CLIN & SPERIMENTALE,I-16132 GENOA,ITALY. UNIV BOLOGNA,CTR INTERUNIV RIC CANC,IST CANCEROL,I-40126 BOLOGNA,ITALY.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colacci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melchiori
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicoletti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Noonan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parodi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grilli