This Article Order Full text via Infotrieve Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Paine, T. M. Articles by Russo, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Paine, T. M. Articles by Russo, J.

American Journal of Pathology, Vol 140, 1483-1488, Copyright © 1992 by American Society for Investigative Pathology

REGULAR ARTICLES

Mutated c-Ha-ras oncogene alters cytokeratin expression in the human breast epithelial cell line MCF-10A

TM Paine, G Fontanini, F Basolo, I Geronimo, JW Elliott and J Russo
Michigan Cancer Foundation, Detroit.

MCF-10A, a spontaneously immortalized human breast epithelial cell line, has been transformed by transfection with the mutated c-Ha-ras oncogene obtained from T24 carcinoma cells. The pattern of cytokeratin expression was studied in MCF-10A cells in comparison with plasmid transfected or MCF-10Aneo cells, normal ras proto oncogene transfected or MCF-10AneoN cells, and transformed or MCF-10AneoT cells. Cytokeratin expression was studied by western immunoblot of total cellular proteins separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Blots with cytokeratin specific AE1 and AE3 antibodies showed identical molecular weight species of cytokeratins in MCF-10A, MCF-10Aneo, MCF-10AneoN, and MCF-10AneoT cells; however, in MCF-10AneoT cells, the intensity of immunostaining and the number of immunoreactive phosphorylated polypeptides keratins 7, 8, 15, and 16 was decreased. It was concluded that c-Ha-ras oncogene-induced transformation alters quantitatively the cytokeratin pattern of human breast epithelial cells and that these changes could explain some of the morphologic alterations observed in c- Ha-ras transformed cells.