Lh. Herbst et al., Differential gene expression associated with tumorigenicity of cultured green turtle fibropapilloma-derived fibroblasts, CANC GENET, 129(1), 2001, pp. 35-39
Fibroblast cell lines derived from normal skin and experimentally induced f
ibropapillomas of green turtles (Chelonia mydas), were propagated in vitro
and tested for tumorigenicity in immunodeficient mice. Differential display
RT-PCR was used to identify differences in messenger RNA expression betwee
n normal and tumorigenic fibropapillomatosis (FP)-derived fibroblasts from
the same individual. Four unique products that were apparently overexpresed
in FP and three that were apparently underexpressed were cloned and sequen
ced. Differential expression was confirmed for three products by Northern b
lotting. Two overexpressed products showed extensive sequence matches to th
e known mammalian cellular genes, beta-hexosaminidase and chain termination
factor. The product that was underexpressed in FP showed homology with mam
malian thrombospondin, a known tumor-suppressor gene and an inhibitor of an
giogenesis. All of the partial gene sequences identified are novel and will
require full length cDNA sequencing to further analyze their identities. T
hese results, however, provide the foundation for further investigation to
determine the role of each of these gene products in FP pathogenesis and ce
llular transformation. The potential for some of these products to serve as
biomarkers for FP is discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights
reserved.