Open AccessImmortalization of human urothelial cells by human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 genes in a defined serum‐free system
Author(s) -
Carmean N.,
Kosman J. W.,
Leaf E. M.,
Hudson A. E.,
Opheim K. E.,
Bassuk J. A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
cell proliferation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.647
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1365-2184
pISSN - 0960-7722
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2184.2007.00428.x
Subject(s) - biology , transformation (genetics) , cell culture , in vitro , bovine papillomavirus , telomerase , gene , cytokeratin , malignant transformation , microbiology and biotechnology , epithelium , telomerase reverse transcriptase , human papillomavirus , immortalised cell line , cell , cancer research , virology , genetics , immunology , immunohistochemistry , medicine , genome
. Normal human epithelial cell cultures exhibit a limited (although different between tissues) lifespan in vitro . In previous studies, urothelial cell cultures were immortalized using retroviral transformation with human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 genes, in undefined culture systems containing serum or bovine pituitary extract. Objective : Due to the variability of results in such systems, we instead developed a procedure for the immortalization of urothelial cells using a defined, serum‐free culture system. Method and results : Immortalization through retroviral transformation with human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 was successful, and transformation of urothelial cells conferred an extended over normal lifespan and restored telomerase activity. Transformed cells retained typical morphology and exhibited a similar growth rate, cytokeratin immunoreactivity pattern, and response to growth factors as observed in untransformed cells. Karyotype analysis revealed a gradual accumulation of genetic mutations that are consistent with previously reported mutations in epithelial cells transformed with human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7. Conclusion : The ability to extend the in vitro lifespan of cells holds the potential to reduce the continuous need for tissue samples and to enable complete investigations with one cell line.