title: c-kit expression in human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell lines.
abstract: A panel of 164 continuous human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines was analyzed for expression of c-kit using Northern blotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The c-kit transcripts were detectable in cell lines assigned to the myeloid (in 7 of 29 by Northern blotting and in 4 of 8 by RT-PCR), monocytic (in 1 of 24 by Northern blotting and in 3 of 6 by RT-PCR), erythroid (in 6 of 8 by Northern blotting and in 5 of 5 by RT-PCR), and megakaryoblastic (in 10 of 10 by Northern blotting) lineages, c-kit expression was not seen by Northern blotting or RT-PCR analysis in any of the 93 lymphoid leukemia, myeloma, or lymphoma cell lines. Treatment of four megakaryoblastic cell lines with protein kinase C activators (phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate and Bryostatin 1) led to terminal differentiation as assessed by morphologic alterations, changes in the surface marker profile, and growth arrest. These effects were associated with enhanced c-kit mRNA expression. Exposure to all-trans retinoic acid down-regulated c-kit mRNA levels, while simultaneously causing morphologic alterations in all four cell lines. Stimulation with growth factors (interleukin-3, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor, and insulin-like growth factors I and II), used to assess any role of c-kit in proliferative processes, did not lead to significant upregulation or downregulation of c-kit expression. The finding of constitutive and high expression of c-kit mRNA in all megakaryoblastic leukemia cell lines and its modulation by various reagents might further contribute to the understanding of megakaryopoietic proliferation, differentiation, and leukemogenesis.
authors.affiliation: DSM-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Department of Human and Animal Cell Cultures, Braunschweig.
authors.forename: Z B
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Uphoff
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Quentmeier
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Drexler
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D001483:Base Sequence; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007947:Leukemia, Megakaryoblastic, Acute / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor; D014212:Tretinoin; D004247:DNA; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases