Expression of c-sis and platelet-derived growth factor in in vitro-transformed glioma cells from rat brain tissue transplacentally treated with ethylnitrosourea.

TitleExpression of c-sis and platelet-derived growth factor in in vitro-transformed glioma cells from rat brain tissue transplacentally treated with ethylnitrosourea.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1986
AuthorsLens PF, Altena B, Nusse R
JournalMol Cell Biol
Volume6
Pagination3537–3540
Date PublishedOct
ISSN0270-7306 (Print); 0270-7306 (Linking)
AbstractLong-term culturing of brain cells from neonatal BD-IX rats after transplacental treatment with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) results in malignantly transformed cells after a lag period of about 250 days. During culturing, the brain cells undergo a sequence of morphological changes. We examined oncogene expression in cultured cells from ENU-treated animals and found that transformed glioma cells differ from premalignant glial cells by containing high levels of c-sis transcripts. We also report that the transformed cells synthesize functional platelet-derived growth factor. Because glial cells have receptors for platelet-derived growth factor, we propose that an autocrine mechanism plays an important role in ENU-induced brain tumorigenesis.