Morphological transformation of hamster embryo cells by cancer chemotherapeutic agents

Studies were made on induction of morphological transformation of hamster embryo cells by various types of cancer chemotherapeutic agents, including alkylating agents, antimetabolites, antibiotics and natural products. Cyclophosphamide, actinomycin D, mitomycin C and adriamycin hydrochloride, which are widely used as cancer chemotherapeutic agents and are also known to be carcinogenic in animals, produced significant morphological transformation. Two other compounds that are known to be carcinogenic in vivo, thio-TEPA and daunomycin hydrochloride, did not induce transformation. The anti-metabolites 6-mercaptopurine, 5-fluorouracil, cytosine arabinoside and methotrexate also did not produce morphological transformation of hamster embryo cells.