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Procollagens as Markers for the Cell of Origin of Human Bone Tumors

Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143 [R. S.]; Connective Tissue Section, Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Anomalies, National Institute of Dental Research [J. W.]; Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20205 [W. P. T., S. A. R.]; and Litton Bionetics, Kensington, Maryland 20014 [G. C.]

Cells derived from osteogenic sarcomas and from Ewing's sarcomas, two malignant bone tumors, were examined for the types of collagens they elaborated into the tissue culture media. Type I procollagen was the predominant species from all osteogenic sarcoma cell lines, a finding consistent with bone cell origin. The Ewing's sarcoma cells contained a prominent peak of type III procollagen and resembled the profile of vascular smooth muscle cells. Fibroblasts derived from skin biopsies taken from amputation specimens synthesized both type I and type III procollagens at the expected ratio of approximately 3:1. The examination of matrix proteins may provide a general classification scheme for human sarcomas and permit distinction of one tumor from another, as well as from normal fibroblasts.

¹ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

² Present address: Department of Orthopedics, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, N. Y. 14612.

Received 1/22/79. Accepted 10/24/79.