spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mes-Masson, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by Chalifour, L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mes-Masson, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by Chalifour, L.

Journal of Cell Science, Vol 94, Issue 3 517-525, Copyright © 1989 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Expression of oncomodulin does not lead to the transformation or immortalization of mammalian cells in vitro

AM Mes-Masson, S Masson, D Banville and L Chalifour
Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada, Montreal, Quebec.

A recombinant plasmid (pMTONCO) containing the coding sequences for rat oncomodulin under the direction of the metallothionein promoter was constructed. pMTONCO was co-transfected with the pSV2-NEO plasmid into primary mouse kidney cells or Rat-1 cells using the calcium phosphate technique and stable transformants were isolated after selection with G418. Transcription from the metallothionein promoter was inducible with heavy metals and produced an oncomodulin-specific mRNA. The presence of oncomodulin protein in stable cell lines was verified by immunoprecipitation with specific antisera. While a plasmid encoding the polyomavirus T-antigens was able to prolong the life-span of primary mouse kidney cells in culture, no equivalent activity was noted when the pMTONCO plasmid was used to transfect primary cells. When expressed in Rat-1 cells, oncomodulin did not affect the growth properties of these cells, nor did it predispose cells to higher frequencies of oncogenic transformation to a viral oncogene. We conclude that oncomodulin is neither an immortalizing nor transforming agent in vitro.




© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1989