Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that c-kit plays an important role in the regulation of growth of at least 3 lineages of stem cells, while only very limited data are available on the development of human solid tumors. Our recent studies have shown that c-kit transcripts are expressed in a very restricted sub-set of human solid tumors such as small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). We have also conducted an immunohistological study on in situ localization of the c-kit protein in various human solid tumors as well as in corresponding fetal and adult normal tissues. No c-kit expression was detected in normal bronchial epithelial cells or pneumocytes in lung parenchyma of human fetal and adult specimens, indicating that the c-kit protein is aberrantly expressed in lung-cancer cells. We also found that significant chemotactic response as well as moderate in vitro cell growth occurred in SCLC cell lines upon addition of recombinant human stem-cell factor.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adenocarcinoma / genetics
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Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
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Adenocarcinoma / pathology
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Adult
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / metabolism
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
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Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / genetics
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Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / metabolism
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Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
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Cell Division / drug effects
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Cell Line
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Chemotaxis / drug effects
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Fetus
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Gene Expression
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Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / biosynthesis
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Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / pharmacology
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Humans
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Lung Neoplasms / genetics
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Lung Neoplasms / metabolism*
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Lung Neoplasms / pathology
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / analysis
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / biosynthesis*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
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Proto-Oncogenes*
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RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
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Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / analysis
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Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / biosynthesis*
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Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics*
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Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor / analysis
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Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor / biosynthesis*
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Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics*
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Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
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Reference Values
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Stem Cell Factor
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Tumor Cells, Cultured
Substances
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Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins
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RNA, Messenger
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Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor
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Recombinant Proteins
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Stem Cell Factor
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
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Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases