Increased Susceptibility of Down's Syndrome Fibroblasts to Transformation by SV10.

Abstract
Tissue culture cell strains of foreskin fibroblasts obtained from 5 neonates with Down''s Syndrome (trisomy 21-22) were shown to be at least twice as susceptible and, on the average, 3 times as susceptible to transformation by the SV40 [Simian virus 40] virus as diploid foreskin fibroblasts from normal neonates. An even greater susceptibility to in vitro SV40 transformation was found in a strain of trisomy 18 fibroblasts. One reason for the increased incidence of neoplasia in Down''s Syndrome is a heightened intrinsic susceptibility of the trisomic cells to carcinogenic agents.