Amplification and expression of different myc-family genes in a tumor specimen and 3 cell lines derived from one small-cell lung cancer patient during longitudinal follow-up.
In a small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) tumor specimen as well as in 3 cell lines derived from SCLC biopsies obtained from the same patient at successive times during the clinical course, either the N-myc gene or the c-myc gene appeared to be amplified and expressed. The initial tumor specimen, a lymph-node metastasis, was amplified for N-myc, as was the cell line GLC-14 derived from this metastasis. The cell lines GLC-16 and GLC-19, derived from the recurrent primary tumor biopsies after a complete remission, were amplified for c-myc. This finding implies independent amplification events and supports the idea that the amplification of myc genes is probably a secondary event correlated with tumor progression. Although all 3 cell lines could be classified as classic SCLC cell lines according to their histological characteristics, GLC-16 and GLC-19 clearly possess, in their c-myc amplification and derivation from therapy-resistant tumor cells, features of variant SCLC lines. This may question the significance of the classic/variant classification.
Kok
K
K
Department of Human Genetics, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
Osinga
J
J
Schotanus
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DC
Berendsen
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HH
de Leij
L F
LF
Buys
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CH
D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured