LACK OF CORRELATION AMONG GAMMA-GLUTAMYL-TRANSPEPTIDASE ACTIVITY, PRODUCTION OF ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN, AND TRANSPLANTABILITY IN RAT-LIVER EPITHELIAL-LIKE CELL-CULTURES

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 71  (5) , 679-685
Abstract
The expression of 2 markers of fetal liver, .alpha.-fetoprotein (AFP) and .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), and the relationship between these markers and tumorigenicity were studied in 17 continuous epithelial-like cell lines derived from normal rat livers and ascitic hepatoma cells. Fourteen cell lines positive for GGT activity included 6 non-transplantable lines. Out of 10 cell lines transplantable to syngeneic rats and/or immunodepressed hamsters, 2 showed no activity of GGT cytochemically. AFP production was seen in the culture fluid of 4 of 15 cell lines. They consisted of 1 GGT-positive, transplantable, 1 GGT-negative, transplantable and 2 GGT-positive, non-transplantable cell lines. No correlation exists among these 3 parameters related to neoplastic and preneoplastic states of cells.