ECTOPIC EXPRESSION OF WNT-5A IN HUMAN RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA-CELLS SUPPRESSES IN-VITRO GROWTH AND TELOMERASE ACTIVITY

Loss of genes located on chromosome 3p has been reported in many diffe rent types of human cancers, including renal cell carcinoma, Previous studies using a nontumorigenic human renal cell carcinoma cell line (R CC23) established from a stage III nonpapillary carcinoma with a loss of heterozygosity on 3p showed that microcell hybrids containing an in troduced intact chromosome 3 resulted in a more differentiated phenoty pe including restored cellular senescence and repression of telomerase activity, Human wnt-5a has been cloned and mapped to chromosome 3p14- 21. We have stably transfected human wnt-5a into RCC23 cells which res ults in in vitro growth suppression and repression of telomerase activ ity in a manner similar to that found in microcell hybrids containing an introduced intact chromosome 3.