Correlation between tumour antigens and malignancy in BKV-transformed hamster cells.

Hamster kidney cells transformed by BK virus (HKBK cells) were studied in order to correlate the membrane tumour antigens to the metastatic capability. The presence of the tumour associated surface antigen (TASA) on the surface of HKBK cells was detected by the immunofluorescence test on live cell suspensions. The metastatic ability was investigated by inoculating HKBK cells subcutaneously (s.

Transforming activity of DNA extracted from BKV-transformed hamster cells after passages in culture.

Primary fetal rat fibroblasts (FRF cells) were transfected with DNA extracted from BKV-transformed hamster kidney cells at low passage after transformation (HKBKlp cells) and at high passage after transformation (HKBKhp cells). Two transformed rat cell lines were obtained, FRF-DNA-HKBKlp cells and FRF-DNA-HKBKhp cells, transformed by DNA extracted from HKBKlp cells and HKBKhp cells, respectively. They were characterized by a number of biological properties and by tumorigenicity and metastatic ability in newborn hamsters.