Stimulation of cell proliferation by tumor-promoting phorbol esters and inhibition by some inhibitors of tumor promotion in suspension cultures of a human lymphoblastoid cell line.

A human lymphoblastoid cell line, SCC-1, was established from the bone marrow of a patient with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) enhanced cell proliferation of SCC-1 cells in suspension culture. A positive correlation was found between the tumor-promoting activities of several plant diterpenes and their enhancing effects on the growth of SCC-1 cells. Various compounds that inhibit tumor promotion were tested for their capacity to inhibit cell proliferation at a physiological concentration. These compounds were not cytotoxic but cytostatic even at high concentration.