Human N-myc gene contributes to neoplastic transformation of mammalian cells in culture.
Proto-oncogenes represent a group of eukaryotic genes whose activated forms are implicated in the development of cancer. We have recently identified a human gene, N-myc, that is distantly related to the proto-oncogene c-myc. N-myc is expressed at abnormally high levels consequent to amplification in numerous human neuroblastoma cell lines and metastatic neuroblastoma tumours. In addition, enhanced expression of N-myc, often a result of amplification, has been found in retinoblastoma cell lines and tumours (refs 5, 7 and M.S., unpublished data) and in cell lines derived from small-cell carcinomas of the lung. Here, we show that enhanced expression of N-myc subsequent to co-transfections of an N-myc expression vector and the mutant c-Ha-ras-1(EJ) (from the human bladder carcinoma cell line EJ) is a factor in tumorigenic conversion of secondary rat embryo cells. The transformed cells elicit tumours in athymic mice and isogeneic rats. The ability of N-myc to contribute to neoplastic transformation of cultured mammalian cells raises the possibility that enhanced expression consequent to amplification of N-myc may be a factor in the aetiology of human neuroblastoma.
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000209:etiology; D009857:Oncogenes; D010641:Phenotype; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D014162:Transfection
C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D012333:RNA, Messenger