A role for polyploidy in the tumorigenicity of Pim-1-expressing human prostate and mammary epithelial cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Polyploidy is a prominent feature of many human cancers, and it has long been hypothesized that polyploidy may contribute to tumorigenesis by promoting genomic instability. In this study, we investigated whether polyploidy per se induced by a relevant oncogene can promote genomic instability and tumorigenicity in human epithelial cells.

Principal findings

When the oncogenic serine-threonine kinase Pim-1 is overexpressed in immortalized, non-tumorigenic human prostate and mammary epithelial cells, these cells gradually converted to polyploidy and became tumorigenic. To assess the contribution of polyploidy to tumorigenicity, we obtained sorted, matched populations of diploid and polyploid cells expressing equivalent levels of the Pim-1 protein. Spectral karyotyping

SUBMITTER: Roh M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2440349 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature