Spontaneous malignant transformation of dermis-derived adult multipotential stem cells in vitro / 第三军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the phenomena and the related mechanisms of malignant transformation of dermis derived multipotential stem cells in vitro . Methods Clonal populations of dermal multipotential stem cells were passaged sequentially in vitro , and the subcutaneous inoculation of cells in nude mice was used for observation of the tumor formation. The transcript profiles of the transformed cells were analyzed by DNA microarray technique. Results Dermal multipotential stem cells underwent spontaneous malignant transformation after serial subculture in vitro . Cells grew out of control, and chromosome number was abnormal. After cells were inoculated subcutaneously into BALB/c nu/nu athymic mice, tumors characterized by fibrous histiocytoma were produced. Immunohistochemistry showed that there were different cell populations for the expression of vimentin, cytokeratin, S 100, and ? smooth actin. Detection by DNA microarray technique revealed that the transformed cells expressed multilineage transcripts, indicating that the transformed cells might have the multipotency. Among the differentially expressed genes in transformed cells, most of the up regulated genes were related to the proliferation process, but most of the down regulated genes were growth factors and their receptors. The enhanced expression of the c ki ras gene and its relevant molecules may play important roles in the transformation process. A candidate gene with unknown functions related to the stem cell proliferation was also preliminarily identified. Conclusion Dermal multipotential stem cells can undergo spontaneous malignant transformation in vitro . Further studies of the mechanisms of this process at the molecular level may have significance both in stem cell application and in tumorigenesis.