Influence of Cultivation, Trypsinization and Aggregation on the Transplantability of Melanoma B16 Cells

Author(s): Norrby, K.

Journal/Book: International Journal of Cancer. 1973; 11: 663-675.

Abstract: To elucidate the usefulness of tumour cells grown in vitro for transplantation studies, Melanoma B16 was grown in monolayer culture. Three types of suspensions were prepared from the cell cultures: two virtually monocellular suspensions, one produced by mechanical procedures and Versene (CV), the other with the addition of trypsinization (CTV); a third suspension containing cell aggregates (CVA) was produced by centrifuging a CV suspension. For comparison, a well-dissociated suspension of solid tumor origin was prepared by a trypsin-Versene procedure (STV). All suspensions were characterized with regard to dissociation grade, cell volumes and cellular electrophoretic mobility and were transplanted in graded cell doses subcutaneously, intraperitoneally and intravenously. While inoculum-doses needed for progressive growth were lower IP than SC, the transplantabilities were similar in these sites all suspensions, indicating similar viabilities and absence of major dilution errors. The growth patterns for lV infused cells exhibited significant differences between the suspensions. CV cells gave rise to lung tumours almost exclusively, while CVA animals, in addition to a large total lung tumour volume, had some extrapulmonary takes. CTV had the greatest number of extrapulmonary tumours, but in combination with small lung tumours, STV cell recipients were intermediate with respect to pulmonary as well as extrapulmonary tumours. These observations were collated with data regarding aggregation, cell volumes and electrophoretic mobility. It was concluded that (1) cultivated tumour cells can have similar transplantation characteristics to the tumour of origin; (2) such cells may be useful in tumour dissemination studies; (3) trypsinization as well as the presence of cell aggregates affects the growth pattern of IV infused tumour cells by yielding an increased extrapulmonary tumour crop.

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