INTEGRATION OF SV40 AT 12Q23 IN SV40-IMMORTALIZED HUMAN BRONCHIAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS

In four SV40-inmortalized human bronchial epithelial cell lines establ ished in our laboratory, we identified the SV40 integration sites by f luorescence in situ hybridization, We found that in the late passage o f all the four cell lines, SV40 integrated at 12q23, It is possible th at only SV40 integration at 12q23 is necessary for the immortalization of human bronchial epithelial cells, Some DNA sequences or genes in t he region, such as IGF-1, may be involved with a proliferative advanta ge of the cells with 12q23 SV40 integration.