A chemically transformed rat fibroblast cell line expresses high levels of oncomodulin

Abstract

Chemically (by N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine) treated rat fibroblasts (T14c) exhibited growth characteristics and a morphology typical for transformed cells and markedly different from untreated, parental cells. In contrast to untransformed cells, T14c fibroblasts produced significant levels of oncomodulin mRNA as analyzed on Northern blots even when compared to rat Morris hepatomas, the richest source of oncomodulin known so far. The levels of transcripts for both calmodulin and oncomodulin in T14c cells were higher in log phase growth as compared to confluent stages.The T14c model system may be useful in the elucidation of mechanisms involved in the regulation of oncomodulin synthesis