Human intraspecific somatic cell hybrids: a genetic and karyotypic analysis of crosses between lymphocytes and D98/AH-2.
Bengtsson BO., Nabholz M., Kennett R., Bodmer WF., Povey S., Swallow D.
A number of human intraspecific hybrids were produced by fusing the 8-azaguanine-resistant cell line D98/AH-2 with PHA-stimulated lymphocytes from a normal human male, followed by selection in HAT medium. The parent cells differed in zymogram patterns for 4 enzyme systems. Hypoxanthine-guanine phophoribosyltransferase was missing in D98/AH-2 and was determined in the hybrids by the normal gene derived from the lymphocyte donor's X chromosome. The HL-A antigens of the lymphocyte donor as well as the W28 specificity from HeLa were easily recognized by a cytotoxicity assay on the hybrid cells, while D98/AH-2 itself was not killed in the normal way by any HL-4 typing sera. The initial hybrid karyotype in all lines was relatively stable, but slow loss of chromosomes occurred following extended growth in culture. The importance of the culture conditions for the rate of chromosome loss was demonstrated. The behavior of several chromosomes was followed in the hybrids and their derivatives. There was relatively nonspecific loss of small numbers of chromosomes, showing that loss of chromosomes from both the D98/AH-2 and the normal lymphocyte parent can occur. Cell lines resistant to 6-thioguanine were selected from the sensitive hybrids. Most had lost the lymphocyte donor's X chromosome, thereby losing the only active allele for HGPRT present in the initial hybrids. However, one line, DMR41, apparently retained the X chromosome and may have a mutated allele for HGPRT. Two lines that are the products of spontaneous segregation are also described. DM4CS and DM17A.