Induction of an attachment and spreading on glass of Ehrlich ascites tumour cells by alpha-saturated polyprenols.

It has been observed that a dolichol, alpha dihydro-undecaprenol, induces phenotypic changes in Ehrlich ascites tumour [EAT] cells. In the presence of this dolichol in the medium. EAT cells attach to glass and spread on it but grow in an overlapping pattern. This spreading takes place after a lag of between 72-96 hours at continuous exposure to the dolichol. When cells, once induced to spread, are trypsinized, they can spread once more within 3-6 hours in the dolichol-free medium. It is suggested that dolichols, which act as lipid intermediates in protein glycosylation, may represent a class of compounds which by interference with the biosynthesis of plasma membrane constituents influence surface properties of EAT cells and induce spreading. The results presented in this paper support the view that sugar moieties of plasma membrane constituents play a role in controlling cell attachment, spreading, and intercellular communication.