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Abstract
Two cell lines designed 2-12 and 7-4 cells
(derived from NIH/3T3) containing an inducible Ha-ras gene
and an E.coli lacI repressor gene have been established in our laboratory. Tsai(1996) reported that Ha-ras oncogene overexpression and Insulin growth factor-1(IGF-1) stimulation were both required for 2-12 cells to form colonies in soft agar containing 10%AC-2TM(collistrum, a substitute of serum). Using this model we analyzed colony formation related signal transduction of 2-12 cells in 10% AC-2TM containing medium. We disclosed that Ha-ras mainly activated raf-1 pathway and IGF-1 activated PI(3)k pathway. These two pathway were activated under 0.2% serum condition but cells could not form colonies, indicating the requirement of other factors for colony formation under 10%AC-2TM condition. However, the assay we used could not find them. In contrast, the Ha-ras inducible cell line 7-4 showed decreased colony formation in 10%AC-2TM containing soft agar. Further analysis demonstrated that 7-4 cells underwent apoptosis and its PI(3)kinase activity was lowered. Taken together, raf-1 and PI(3)k pathway are required for cell colony formation in soft agar.
To study the effect of Rac on Ras signaling,
we transfected dominant negative rac(pZipneoN17Rac)
into 7-4 cells to block Rac activity. Subsequently,
two cell lines 7-4Racd2 and 7-4Racd3 were established.
Among them, 7-4Racd2 showed major cell population in G0/G1
phase. 7-4Racd2 also prevented membrane ruffling which was
caused by Ha-ras overexpression. Interestingly dominant
negative rac activated NFkB, but could not down-regulate
JNK activity as well as the ability of cell anchorage-
independent growth. Moreover, dominant negative rac in
7-4Racd2 prevented cell apoptosis. In summary, dominant
negative rac in 7-4Racd2 cells is sufficient to suppress
cell apoptosis, but is not enough to block other biological
activities. Moreover, why NFkB was activated by dominant
negative rac remaining to be determined.
The role of receptor tyrosine kinase neu(normol neu)
in bladder carcinoma cell line named TCC-Sup was investigated
by introducing the neu gene into TCC-Sup. A cell line
TCC-SupN10 established by Dr. Lai*s laboratory showed
slower cell growth and is prone to cell death as compared
to TCC-Sup cells. TCC-SupN10 also showed down regulation of
Ras and nm23H1 gene expression which play critical roles in
cell growth and inhibition of tumor metastasis, respectively.
The role of Neu in TCC-Sup cell line is still contradictory
but its function is more close to cell differentiation than to
proliferation.
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