Discrimination of initiating and promoting carcinogens in fish

Xiphophorine fish from wild populations are insusceptible of developing neoplasia. In contrast, certain backcrosses of Xiphophorus maculatus (platyfish) with Xiphophorus helleri (swordtail) as the recurrent parent produce offspring that develop neoplasia in a Mendelian fashion. We concentrated our research on melanoma. To construct a fish strain which is highly susceptible to mutagenic carcinogens, a particular regulatory gene, ie an oncosuppressor gene (Bs), was introduced into the fish developing the Mendelian inherited melanoma by introgression. Bs prevents the progeny from developing melanoma. However, Bs can be impaired by carcinogen-induced somatic mutation which gives rise to the development of clonal melanoma. Activity of the oncogene x-src (measured on pp60x-src kinase activity) and inositol lipid turnover is elevated in the tumor but, in contrast to the animals bearing the inherited melanoma, not in the brain. Tumor promoters do not induce melanoma in this strain. Similarly, in order to breed a fish strain which is highly susceptible to tumor promoters we introduced a regulatory gene, for instance an oncostatic gene (g) coding for a pretransformational arrest of pigment cell differentiation in the stem cell stage of the fish that develop the Mendelian inherited melanoma. The new strain is incapable of developing melanoma. Its x-src kinase activity and inositol lipid turnover is elevated in the brain, indicating that the biochemical processes which were found to be correlated with the hereditary melanoma formation, operate without the occurrence of melanoma. Following treatment of these animals with tumor promoters, melanoma develops within a very short latent period. Our tester strain can discriminate between tumor-initiating and tumor-promoting activities of agents of unknown carcinogenic potential.