PRODUCTION OF TGF-BETA AND HGF RECEPTOR BY A DIFFERENTIATED PAPILLARYTHYROID-CARCINOMA CELL-LINE (B-CPAP) - IMPLICATION IN MALIGNANCY

The B-CPAP cell line was obtained from a human differentiated papillar y thyroid carcinoma. Previous studies showed that the cells present th yroid characteristics such as thyroglobulin production, phenotypic alt erations such as synthesis of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (HC G), expression of neuron specific enolase (NSE) and protein S100, and also somatic mutations of p53 and K-rns oncogenes. The present data fu rther characterize this cell line and show an overexpression of transf orming growth factor (TGF beta 1) and c-met gene product i.e. the rece ptor for human growth factor (HGF). The relation between the phenotypi c and somatic alterations in the process of malignancy are discussed.