The effect of H-ras oncogene transfection on response of mink lung epithelial cells to growth factors and cytotoxic drugs.

Mink lung epithelial cells were transfected with c-myc and activated H-ras genes. The transfected sublines formed colonies in soft agar and were tumorigenic when injected subcutaneously into athymic nude mice. DNA synthesis was measured in each of the cell lines by 3H-thymidine incorporation and in the parent line there was dose related stimulation of DNA synthesis by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and inhibition by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). The c-myc transfected line had a reduced inhibitory response to TGF-beta and an exaggerated stimulatory response to EGF whereas the activated H-ras1 transfected line did not respond to TGF-beta or EGF. The activated H-ras1 transfected line was significantly more resistant to doxorubicin (ID50, 4.4 nM) and vincristine (ID50, 4.9 nM) than the parent mink lung epithelial cell line (ID50, 2.7 nM and 2.4 nM respectively). It would appear that oncogene transfection can alter the sensitivity of mink lung epithelial cells to both exogenous growth factors and cytotoxic drugs.