Human papillomavirus 18-immortalized endocervical cells with in vitro cytokeratin expression characteristics of adenocarcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether human papillomavirus (HPV) 18 has a role in the development of adenocarcinoma from human endo- or ectocervical cells.


METHODS
Secondary cultures of human endo- and ectocervical cells were assayed for immortalization by HPV 18 DNA using lipofection. The effects of immortalization on the patterns of cytokeratin expression were determined by indirect immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies. The differentiation phenotype of the immortalized cells was investigated by a modified in vivo implantation system.


RESULTS
Both endo- and ectocervical cells were immortalized by HPV 18. The immortalized cells contained integrated HPV 18 DNA and expressed E6-E7 RNA. The immortalized endocervical cells had a cytokeratin phenotype characteristic of adenocarcinoma, whereas the immortalized ectocervical cells retained a distinct cytokeratin expression pattern of normal parental cells. In an in vivo implantation system, endocervical cells formed a lesion resembling severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ, whereas ectocervical cells developed into a lesion resembling mild dysplasia. Both cell lines were nontumorigenic in nude mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Both endo- and ectocervical cells are targets for immortalization by HPV 18. Based on cytokeratin expression patterns, immortalized endocervical cells, but not ectocervical cells, may be useful as a model for premalignant lesions that progress into adenocarcinoma.
Yokoyama
M
M
Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada.
Tsutsumi
K
K
Pater
A
A
Pater
M M
MM
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000166:cytology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D010641:Phenotype; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D007633:Keratins