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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1972 Dec;69(12):3825–3827. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.12.3825

Selective Inhibition of Growth of Transformed Cells by Protease Inhibitors*

Hans Peter Schnebli †, Max M Burger ‡
PMCID: PMC389882  PMID: 4345510

Abstract

Five protease inhibitors with different modes of action were found to reduce the growth of transformed mouse (Py3T3, SV3T3, and 3T12) and hamster (PyBHK) cells. Some of these inhibitors caused the transformed cells to cease growth at saturation densities characteristic for nontransformed cells.

The protease inhibitors were strikingly selective with regard to the transformed cells; they had essentially no effect on the growth of the nontransformed cells. From this result, it is concluded that the inhibitors block a protease-like activity that is required for the unrestrained growth of transformed cells.

The inhibitors exerted their effect directly on the cells; they did not affect growth by interacting with serum components of the medium.

Keywords: contact inhibition, mouse, hamster

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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