Induction of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency in human U-937 cells

The aim of the study was to establish enzyme-deficient mutants of the human permanent cell line U-937. Following chemical mutagenesis with the use of ethyl methanesulfonate, this cell line was chronically exposed to increasing concentrations of the toxic hypoxanthine analogue 6-thioguanine. Cells surviving hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine selective media were separated by glass adherence with the use of 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate. Three mutant clones were established, which have remained hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) deficient for a period of 7 months, as shown by indirect measurements with the use of autoradiography and scintillation counting of cells exposed to [3H]hypoxanthine. Since the phenotypic properties and growth behavior of U-937 cells have remained unaltered after the induced mutation, a highly restricted chromosomal segment coding for HPRT seems to have been mutated.