Effect of a normal serum protein absent from hepatoma-bearing animals on cell cultures

The effect of a serum factor purified from normal rat serum on growth and incorporation of 3-H-thymidine and 3-H-leucine was investigated with the use of 3T3 and L cells. The factor was not present in serum of hepatoma-bearing animals at a time when the weight of the hepatomas was equal to or greater than liver weight. The factor disappeared gradually from the serum of hepatoma-bearing animals, and the disappearance was proportional to the increase in the size of the hepatomas. Diminished amounts of the factor could be detected as early as 10 days after hepatoma transplant, and the factor was absent at 30 days after hepatoma transplant from the serum of rats bearing hepatoma 7777. Medium supplemented with 5% normal rat serum supported incorporation of lavel into 3T3 and L cells and growth of these cells, as did medium supplemented with 10% calf serum. Serum from hepatoma-bearing animals was only approximately equal to 50% as efficient as normal rat serum in supporting growth and label incorporation. The addition of purified factor to the serum from hepatoma-bearing animals restored the ability of the serum to support growth and label incorporation to between 70 and 90% of that found with normal rat serum as a medium supplement. The factor also enhanced incorporation of 3-H-thymidine following release of 3T3 cells from contact inhibition.