Production of β-human chorionic gonadotrophin by human squamous carcinoma cell lines

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Abstract
Eight out of 9 human squamous carcinoma cell lines ectopically secrete the beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin (β‐HCG) in amounts detectable by radioimmunoassay. In contrast, both normal and SV40‐transformed keratinocytes show no such evidence of β‐HCG secretion. Ectopic β‐HCG is identical in its gel exclusion and high‐performance liquid chromatographic properties to placental β‐HCG and, in radioimmunoassay, yields a dilution curve parallel to that of placental β‐HCG. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP, but not sodium butyrate, stimulates β‐HCG secretion by the one human cell line examined, LICR‐LON‐HN‐5, suggesting that ectopic production by these cells is similar to trophoblastic β‐HCG secretion, and differs from most other non‐trophoblastic cell lines previously examined.