title: Oncoprotein expression and morphological phenotypes of human breast epithelial cells transformed by the c-Ha-ras oncogene.
abstract: Activated oncogenes have been detected in a variety of malignant tumors and altered expressions of certain genes are known to play a functional role in the cancer process. The chemical carcinogen, BP, and the insertion of c-Ha-ras, induced characteristics of transformed phenotypes in a suitable human breast epithelial cell line. Carcinogen-treated and Ha-ras-transfected cells showed a progression of changes in the morphology, anchorage independent growth, invasiveness and tumorigenicity in SCID mice. Tumor growth occurs after a series of molecular events that parallel morphological changes. The aim of this work was to determine the neoplastic phenotypes following treatment with benzo(a)pyrene (BP) and transfection with c-Ha-ras oncogene changes and PCNA, Neu, ErbB-3 and Cytokeratin 18 protein expression in MCF-10F cells, a spontaneously immortalized human breast epithelial cell line. Protein expression was determined by immunofluorescent staining coupled with confocal microscopy. An increased oncoprotein expression in comparison to MCF-10F cells was observed in PCNA, Neu, ErbB-3 and Cytokeratin 18 protein expression in breast epithelial cells transformed with a chemical carcinogen and/or oncogene transfected that are not present in the MCF-10F. This in vitro cancer model can be used as a valuable model in the study of breast carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. gmc24@columbia.edu
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Calaf
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hei
mesh_terms: D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000494:pharmacology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002273:Carcinogens; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007633:Keratins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D007633:Keratins; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)