[Malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells induced by benzo(a)pyrene metabolite dihydroxyepoxy benzo pyrene].

The malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cell 16HBE induced by benzo (a) pyrene metabolite--dihydroxyepoxy benzo pyrene (BPDE) was studied. 16HBE cells were treated several times with BPDE at different concentrations in vitro. The identification on the malignancy of transformed 16HBE cells was investigated. The transformed cells in foci were proliferated rapidly, exhibited in extensive random orientation and crossed over. The transformed cells could grow on soft agar. The colony forming frequency of each BPDE group on soft agar was significantly higher than that of control group and showed dose-reaction relations with the concentrations of BPDE. The transformed cells could grow into tumors in nude mice. The tumor was squamose carcinoma confirmed by histopathological examination. The culture system in this study provided a potential tool for studying the molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis of human bronchial epithelial cells induced by BPDE.