Tumorigenesis and metastasis of neoplastic Kaposi's sarcoma cell line in immunodeficient mice blocked by a human pregnancy hormone.
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) occurs more often in men than in women and HIV-1-associated KS has a high occurrence in homosexual men (over 30%). Most cultures of KS tumours yield cells with properties of hyperplastic (not malignant) endothelial cells under the control of several cytokines. The role of HIV-1 may be in promoting high levels of some cytokines and providing stimulation to angiogenesis by the HIV-1 Tat protein, which synergizes with basic fibroblast growth factor in promoting these effects. Here we describe an immortalized AIDS-KS cell line (KS Y-1) and show that these cells produce malignant metastatic tumours in nude mice and are killed in vitro and in vivo (apparently by apoptosis) by a pregnancy hormone, the beta-chain of human chorionic gonadotropin. Similarly, chorionic gonadotropin kills KS SLK, cells from another neoplastic cell line (established from a non-HIV-associated KS), as well as the hyperplastic KS cells from clinical specimens grown in short-term culture, but does not kill normal endothelial cells. These results provide evidence that KS can evolve into a malignancy and have implications for the hormonal treatment of this tumour.
Lunardi-Iskandar
Y
Y
Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Bryant
J L
JL
Zeman
R A
RA
Lam
V H
VH
Samaniego
F
F
Besnier
J M
JM
Hermans
P
P
Thierry
A R
AR
Gill
P
P
Gallo
R C
RC
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011247:Pregnancy; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin