Benzo[a]pyrene- and aldrin-metabolizing activities in cultured human and rat hepatoma cell lines.

Five established hepatoma cell lines, 1 of rat origin and 4 derived from human liver carcinoma, were compared for their capacity to perform metabolic activation of one polycyclic hydrocarbon, benzo[a]pyrene (BP), and one cyclodiene chlorinated insecticide, aldrin. The results of these investigations indicated both species and individual differences among these cell lines. Aldrin was found to be converted into dieldrin much more efficiently by the rat hepatoma cell line than by any human cell lines, whereas 2 human lines displayed the highest BP-metabolizing activity whether measured as the amounts of water-soluble products or estimated by cytotoxic cell-mediated assays.

UV-irradiation of related mouse hybrid cells: similar increase in capacity to replicate intact minute-virus-of-mice but differential enhancement of survival of UV-irradiated virus.

3 hybrid cell lines between mouse fibroblasts (A9) and mouse lymphoma cells (L5178YS) were compared with regard to the ability of UV-pre-irradiated cells to replicate intact (unirradiated) Minute-virus-of-Mice (MVM) and to reactivate UV-irradiated MVM. UV irradiation of cells before virus infection enhanced their ability to plaque intact virus (Enhanced Capacity) to a similar extent in the 3 hybrid cell lines. However, pretreatment of cells with UV radiation enhanced the survival of UV-damaged virus (Enhanced Reactivation) in only 1 of these hybrids.

Nucleoside uptake in normal and cystic fibrosis fibroblasts in vitro.

Cultured skin fibroblasts derived from unrelated patients with diagnosed cystic fibrosis were compared with those from one normal individual in respect to thymidine and uridine uptake. The results obtained show that the two nucleosides are incorporated at the same rate by the three cell strains. Therefore, it appears that the reported abnormality [6] in nucleoside uptake in cystic fibrosis cells is not a general characteristic of these cells.