PMID: 9171936May 1, 1997Paper

Evidence for a functional kit receptor in melanoma, breast, and lung carcinoma cells

Cancer Gene Therapy
R S DiPaolaA M Gewirtz

Abstract

We sought to determine the functional significance of the c-kit receptor (Kit) in melanoma, breast carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To explore these issues, we first screened cell lines of each type for c-kit mRNA expression using a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. We found that WM-39 melanoma cells, HTB-22 breast carcinoma cells, and A549 NSCLC cells all expressed c-kit mRNA. Of interest, all of these cells expressed the c-kit ligand, Steel factor (SF). We then assessed the functional significance of c-kit and SF expression by disrupting the gene's expression with antisense (AS) oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) targeted to c-kit mRNA codons 1-6 and SF mRNA codons 2-7, respectively. Nonhybridizing sequences [sense (5) and scrambled (SCR)] were also employed as controls. WM-39, HTB-22, and A549 cells were exposed to ODN (approximately 25 microM) for 5-7 days. Downregulation of c-kit and SF mRNA, and c-kit protein was demonstrated in cells treated with AS ODN. Effects on viable cell growth were demonstrated by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) or 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4 -sulfophenyl)- 2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay. In fact, c-kit a...Continue Reading

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