title: Identification of a second transforming gene, rasn, in a human multiple myeloma line with a rearranged c-myc allele.
abstract: Multiple myeloma is a disease characterized by a long, slowly progressive phase and a final, more aggressive one. Little is known about the mechanism of transformation of myeloma cells, although the clinical characteristics of the disease suggest a multi-step process. Recently, a myeloma cell line, NCI-H929, was isolated from a patient with aggressive preterminal disease and found to have a rearranged myc allele. This myeloma cell line has been further characterized in a focus formation assay to determine whether its unusual growth characteristics were associated with a second activated transforming gene. We now report that the NCI-H929 myeloma cell line has an activated rasn allele in addition to a rearranged myc allele. This is the first identification of an activated transforming gene in a multiple myeloma cell line; furthermore, the characterization of two independently activated oncogenes in this B cell malignancy has implications for both the pathogenesis and evolution of the disease.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000235:genetics; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D051379:Mice; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors