Human-tumor-derived cell lines contain common and different transforming genes.

We have screened different cultured cell lines established from human tumors for the ability of their DNAs to induce transformed foci in NIH/3T3 cells. Based on restriction endonuclease digestions and the presence of human sequences in mouse transformants, we conclude that five of these human tumor cell lines contain a gene or genes capable of transforming mouse cells and that at least three different transforming genes are present in these five lines. Three cell lines, two derived from lung carcinomas and one derived from a colon carcinoma, transfer the same or closely related human genes. If these transforming genes are mediating the tumorigenic state of the human cells, then our results indicate that overlapping pathways leading to tumorigenesis may arise independently.