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Radiation-induced transformation in oncogene primed C3H/10T1/2 cells; a new system for analysis of multi-step transformation in vitro

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6148613

Several established rodent cell lines, such as C3H/10T1/2 fibroblasts, have been developed to study radiation and chemically-induced malignant transformation. Most experimental evidence has supported the idea that transformation in 10T1/2 cells involved at least two steps but that the apparent frequency of transformation depends on the density of plated cells. A new approach is presented here for studying radiation-induced transformation. An oncogene primed cell system (C3H-myc) was developed by introducing a constitutively active mouse c-myc gene into 10T1/2 cells. A primary goal was to determine if the introduction of an activated oncogene could substitute for one of the required steps in radiation-induced transformation. Results are presented that show that the expression of the exogenous myc gene significantly increased the frequency of radiation-induced transformation in these cells. Subculture experiments performed to analyze the kinetics of transformation in C3H-myc cells and reconstruction experiments allowing the effects of normal cells on radiation-induced transformants to be determined indicated that transformed cells arose very shortly after irradiation. These results support the conclusion that a radiation-induced event can complement the effect of myc in C3H-myc cells and directly result in transformation. This system thus provides an opportunity to isolate early steps in radiation-induced transformation and should facilitate the identification and analysis of these events.

Research Organization:
Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA)
OSTI ID:
6148613
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English