Human proteins sensitive to neoplastic transformation in cultured epithelial and fibroblast cells

We resolved the [35S]methionine polypeptides synthesized by normal [lung fibroblasts (WI-38), amnion cells] and transformed [SV40 transformed WI-38, AMA (spontaneously transformed amnion cells)] cultured human cells, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis under conditions in which about 1300 polypeptides could be reproducibly separated. These studies demonstrated important changes in the relative proportions of several polypeptides that are present both in normal and transformed cells. Of a total of 400 common polypeptides that we quantitated for each cell type, 53 (22 basic and 31 acidic) varied by 40% of more in both cell pairs. Among these, we have identified vimentin (IEF 26), cyclin (IEF 49), and a tropomyosin-related polypeptide (IEF 52). No new major polypeptide was detected in the transformed cells, at least at the level of resolution currently achieved by this technique. Similar but qualitative studies of [32P]orthophosphate-labeled proteins revealed that, of 250 analyzed, only seven common phosphoproteins, including phosphovimentin (IEF 26e), varied consistently in both cell pairs. These results strengthen our previous conclusion that transformation results in changes in the relative proportions of polypeptides synthesized in normal and transformed cells rather than in the appearance of new polypeptides in transformed cells.