[Behavior of HEp-2 cell line cells, their nuclei and nucleoli during cultivation and under the effect of Na-ds-RNA]

The behavior of human larynx cancer cells (HEp-2) and of their nuclei and nucleoli during the cultivation without the influence of Na-ds-RNA and after its introduction into the medium was investigated by methods of cytomorphometry and cytophotometry. The density of monolayer (the number of cells on the area unit), percentage of two-nuclear cells, the number of nucleoli in the nuclei, mitotic coefficient, volume and total surface of nuclei and nucleoli have been measured. In addition, the mass of DNA in the nuclei and that of the total RNA and DNA in the nuclei and in each nucleolus was measured. Cells in the culture, not subjected to the influence of Na-ds-RNA, were weakly differentiated, kept active proliferation, and their population contained a small number of two-nuclear elements and a high share of multi-nuclear cell. During cultivation, these indices became even more pronounced, which is typical for the increase in cell malignancy. Under the influence of Na-ds-RNA, the proliferate activity decreases, the number of double-nuclear cells increases, while that of multi-nucleolar cell decreases; also, the share of cells with one- and two-nucleolar nuclei increases. The authors conclude that Na-ds-RNA may have antineoplastic activities, clearly evidenced from its influence on the culture of transformed HEp-2 cells.