Secreted proteins of normal and myc-ras oncogene transformed rat embryo fibroblasts.

ABSTRACT

Quiescent cultures of rat embryo fibroblasts synthesize and secrete several proteins in response to mitogenic stimulation. Two of these proteins have been characterized in this study and the effect of oncogenic transformation on these proteins was monitored. A serum induced 48,000 protein was shown to be related to plasminogen activator inhibitor while another serum-induced protein of Mr 45,000 was found to be an inhibitor of DNA synthesis. Transformation of rat embryo fibroblasts with oncogenes myc and ras resulted in drastic reduction in the level of these proteins. The reduced levels of protease inhibitor may be responsible for the loss of anchorage dependence of the transformed cells. The DNA synthesis inhibitor protein may act as a negative growth regulator and reduced levels of this protein in myc-ras transformed cells may accelerate the proliferation of these cells.