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Some Observations on the Response of Four Established Human Cell Strains to Hydrocortisone in Tissue Culture^*

Ira Kline, Joseph Leighton, Morris Belkin and Henry C. Orr

( Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology and Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md.)

We have examined the response of four established lines of human cells to hydrocortisone in vitro. The lines included two derived from epidermoid carcinoma (Gey's HeLa and Eagle's KB), one from human fetal epithelium (Henle's Intestine 407), and one (Leighton's D-189), a malignant-appearing transformation of a strain of connective tissue from normal infant's foreskin.

Upon exposure of D-189 to 10 µg/ml of hydrocortisone, definite cytotoxicity consisting of extensive cytoplasmic vacuolization was seen in 3 or 4 days. When the drug was discontinued, upon the observation of this cytologic change, marked residual damage was seen at the end of a 7-day recovery period.

In contrast, the cells of epithelial origin required 1–2 weeks of exposure to 10 µg/ml of hydrocortisone before cytologic changes were seen. The most resistant of these was Henle's intestine. The changes observed in the epithelial cells were a striking enlargement involving cytoplasm, nucleus, and nucleolus, producing bizarre giant cell forms. In each instance the drug was discontinued when a definite effect was first seen, and a recovery period of a week ensued. The degree of residual damage found at the end of the recovery period for each line derived from epithelium was slight, in sharp contrast to the extensive residual damage in the D-189 cells.

^* This work is presented in partial fulfillment of the doctorate thesis requirement of Mr. Ira Kline at The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Present address: Microbiological Associates, Inc., Bethesda, M.D.

Present address: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh 13, Pa.

National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Received 3/27/57.

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