Inhibition of fibroblast growth by polyanions; effects of dextran sulfate and lignin derivatives.

Abstract When macrophages prepared from rat bone marrow were cultured for more than one week, contaminating fibroblasts grew and formed large colonies which were observable with the naked eye after Giemsa staining. The addition of dextran sulfate or watersoluble lignin derivatives (acetyl or sulfonyl) to the culture medium almost completely inhibited the growth of fibroblasts at 10 g/ml. These polyanions also inhibited the growth of chick embryo fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner: at 5 g/ml the inhibitory effect was 20–30% of the control and at 100 g/ml it was 50–70%. In addition, these polyanions inhibited the mitosis of hepatocytes, although their inhibitory effects on the growth of hepatocytes were smaller than those observed on the growth of fibroblasts. On the other hand, these polyanions did not affect the growth of human urinary bladder carcinoma cells (HUB-4 and HUB-15). In conclusion, dextran sulfate and lignin derivatives may be useful in eliminating fibroblasts from certain cells.