Mutagenesis, Vol. 16, No. 6, 557-570,
November 2001
© 2001 UK Environmental Mutagen Society/Oxford University Press
Meeting report |
Abstracts of the United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society 25th Annual Meeting, July 2–4, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
1. Transformation in hTERT transfected human linesA.C. Riches1, C. Peddie1, P. Bryant1, G. Bakirtzis1,
H. Zitzelsberger2, L. Heiber2
1School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9TS, UK and
2Institute of Radiobiology, GSF, Neuherberg, Germany
Rodent cell lines, such as the C3H10T1/2 cell line, proved useful models to investigate transformation but have a number of disadvantages. Attempts to utilise human primary cultures were limited by cell senescence. Human cell lines were then immortalised using a variety of viral constructs and enabled studies on radiation and chemical carcinogenesis to be undertaken. Cell lines immortalised in this way are often genetically unstable, with variable chromosome numbers. Human cell lines have now been immortalised using vectors expressing hTERT (the catalytic subunit of telomerase). A human retinal pigment epithelial cell line (340RPE-T53 hTERT) has been utilised for studies on radiation-induced carcinogenesis. Following exposure to fractionated doses