Open AccessHomogeneously staining chromosomal regions contain amplified copies of an abundantly expressed cellular oncogene (c-myc) in malignant neuroendocrine cells from a human colon carcinoma.
Author(s) -
Kari Alitalo,
Manfred Schwab,
C. C. Lin,
Harold Varmus,
J. Michael Bishop
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.80.6.1707
Subject(s) - biology , microbiology and biotechnology , karyotype , staining , chromosomal translocation , chromosome , carcinogenesis , marker chromosome , oncogene , n myc , gene duplication , gene , cell culture , genetics , neuroblastoma , cell cycle , ganglioneuroma
Two human neuroendocrine tumor cell lines derived from a colon carcinoma contain either numerous double minute chromosomes (COLO 320 DM) or a homogeneously staining marker chromosome (COLO 320 HSR). We found amplification and enhanced expression of the cellular oncogene c-myc in both COLO 320 DM and HSR cells, and we were able to show that the homogeneously staining regions of the COLO 320 HSR marker chromosome contain amplified c-myc. From previous and present karyotypes, it appears that the homogeneously staining regions reside on a distorted X chromosome. Therefore, amplification of c-myc has been accompanied by translocation of the gene from its normal position on chromosome 8 (8q24). Because double minute chromosomes were features of primary cultures from the original tumor, it seems reasonable to suspect that amplification of c-myc may have contributed to tumorigenesis.