title: Generation and characterization of a conditionally immortalized lung clara cell line from the H-2Kb-tsA58 transgenic mouse.
abstract: The Clara cell is believed to be the progenitor of the peripheral airway epithelium, and it produces the surfactant proteins SP-A and SP-B, in addition to the 10-kDa Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP or CC10). To date, attempts to develop Clara cell lines have been unsuccessful. Most such attempts have involved the in vitro insertion of a transforming viral oncogene. We have reported previously the characterization of a differentiated conditionally immortalized murine lung Type II epithelial cell line, T7, from the H-2Kb-tsA58 transgenic mouse. We have also used this mouse model to derive Clara cell lines. In this model, the need for in vitro gene insertion is circumvented by the creation of a transgene, in which the large tumor antigen of a temperature-sensitive strain (tsA58) of the simian virus 40 (SV40) is fused with the major histocompatibility complex promoter H-2Kb. The promoter is active in a wide range of tissues and is induced by interferons (IFN). From the lungs of animals harboring the hybrid construct, we isolated and characterized Clara cells. The cells contain dense secretory granules and mitochondria typical of Clara cells, and express SP-A, SP-B, SP-D, and the Clara cell secretory protein, CC10. Withdrawal of the IFN and elevation of the incubation temperature permit normal cell differentiation similar to that of Clara cells in vivo. This cell line should be very useful for the investigation of normal Clara cell function and gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, St. Louis University Health Sciences Center and Pediatric Research Institute, Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, Missouri 63104, USA. demellde@slu.edu
authors.forename: Daphne E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Demello
authors.forename: Sohir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryerse
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002455:Cell Division; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D017931:DNA Primers; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014598:Uteroglobin
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D006183:H-2 Antigens; C032876:H-2Kb protein, mouse; D011506:Proteins; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; C556390:Scgb1a1 protein, mouse; D014598:Uteroglobin