title: Expression of airway secretory epithelial functions by lung carcinoma cells.
abstract: We examined 12 non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines for expression of airway goblet, serous, and mucous cell characteristics. The cells expressed some ultrastructural traits of secretory epithelial cells but none contained secretory granules typical of the airway secretory cells. Using immunocytochemistry and cell-specific monoclonal antibodies, we identified heterogeneous expression of goblet, mucous, and serous cell markers among the cell lines. After metabolic radiolabeling, cells incorporated isotope into high molecular weight material. Incubation of pulse-radiolabeled cells with a number of known mucus secretogogues revealed that 5 of the 12 cell lines released radiolabeled material in response to the agonists. However, in each cell line only one of the receptor-activated pathways tested was intact. Although we did not identify a single cell line expressing a phenotype similar to normal airway secretory cells, particular functions retained by some of these cell lines may make them useful for specific studies of mucus production or secretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0506, USA.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Finkbeiner
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Zlock
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Carrier
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chow
mesh_terms: D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002847:Chromatography, Agarose; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured