title: Characterization of K562 cells following introduction of a mutant N-ras gene.
abstract: A mutant human N-ras gene (codon 61, C to A substitution) was electroporated into the human leukemic cell line K562, originally derived from a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in blast crisis. Despite confirmation of mutant N-ras gene integration and expression, mutant transfected cells exhibited no growth advantage when characterized in suspension cultures and clonogenic assays, and serum deprivation impaired proliferation of both normal and mutant N-ras transfected cells equally. A subclone containing a mutant N-ras gene displayed a proliferation rate and differentiation potential identical to that of non-transfected cells. The failure of N-ras mutations to modify K562 cell behavior is in keeping with the infrequent observation of N-ras mutations in blastic transformation of CML.
authors.affiliation: Kanematsu Laboratories, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Thorn
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Croaker
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Iland
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured