Formation of anucleate and multinucleate cells in normal and SV₄₀ transformed WI-38 by cytochalasin B

The mold metabolite cytochalasin B has been reported to cause inhibition of cytokinesis at low concentrations and nuclear extrusion at high concentrations. Normal diploid and SV₄₀ transformed human fetal lung fibroblasts (WI-38) were equally sensitive to inhibition of cell division by cytochalasin B. However, in the absence of cytokinesis, the transformed cells became much more highly multinucleate than the normal diploid cells. It is suggested that this may reflect fundamental differences in cellular control between normal and transformed cells. Both cell types were only slightly sensitive to enucleations at high concentrations of cytochalasin B. A method for producing 99 + % enucleation of WI-38 was developed combining the actions of high g forces and cytochalasin B.