Abstract
Pheochromocytomas are adrenal medullary tumors which arise from the transformation of neural crest-derived cells. In the course of studies of mice transgenic for an SV40 T-gene ectopically expressed in the adrenal medulla, we observed the occurrence of large, mainly bilateral tumors in a high proportion of transgenic animals. From these tumors we established immortalized cell lines which grow in vitro at 32 degrees C (the permissive temperature for the tsA58 T-protein encoded by the transgene), but not at 38 C. These cells demonstrate characteristics of both neuronal (160 kd neurofilament) and endocrine (chromogranins) cells. The expression of Mash-1 and ret supports their initial characterization as early bipotential neuro-endocrine progenitors.
MeSH terms
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Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / genetics*
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Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / mortality
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Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / pathology*
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Adrenal Medulla / pathology
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Animals
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Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / genetics*
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Blotting, Northern
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Cell Division / drug effects
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Chromogranin A
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Chromogranins / metabolism
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Cytokines / pharmacology
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DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
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Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors
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Fibroblast Growth Factors / pharmacology
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Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
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Mice
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Mice, Transgenic / genetics*
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Mutation
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Nerve Growth Factors / pharmacology
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Neural Crest / cytology
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Neural Crest / pathology
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Transcription Factors / genetics
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Tumor Cells, Cultured
Substances
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Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming
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Chromogranin A
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Chromogranins
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Cytokines
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors
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Nerve Growth Factors
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Transcription Factors
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Fibroblast Growth Factors