CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN AMNIOTIC EPITHELIAL-CELLS TRANSFORMED WITH ORIGIN-DEFECTIVE SV40 T-ANTIGEN GENE

This paper describes characteristics of human amniotic epithelial cell s (AEC) transfected with a gene of origin-defective simian virus (SV) 40 large T-antigen (pMTIOD). Normal AEC before transfection with pMTIO D exhibited only low proliferative potential under our culture conditi ons. On the other hand, AEC cells transfected with pMTIOD exhibited gr eater proliferative potentials. Flowcytometry and immunohistochemistry analyses showed that both the primary and the transfected AEC did not express appreciable levels of class II antigens. However, the express ion of class I antigen of the transfected AEC cells was slightly incre ased. The cells obtained in this experiment have the ability to induce tumors in severely combined immunodeficiency mice. This finding sugge sts that established AEC line can be used as a tool to investigate pos sible expression of the desired gene in human AEC and the gene product s, however, was not suitable as a gene carrier to the recipient. Furth er experiments will be required to establish AEC as a transgene carrie r for somatic cell gene therapy. Copyright (C) 1997 by the Tohoku Univ ersity Medical Press.