Expression of the alpha subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin is specifically correlated with tumorigenic expression in human cell hybrids.

The expression of HeLa parent phenotype protein markers, the alpha subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin and placental alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes, has been evaluated in paired tumorigenic and nontumorigenic HeLa-fibroblast human cell hybrids. Both of these proteins have been used clinically as markers of malignancy. The results showed that both are expressed in the hybrids. Expression of the gonadotropin subunit in the hybrids is specifically correlated with tumorigenicity; the placental alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme showed no such correlation and was expressed in both tumorigenic and nontumorigenic hybrids.