Two populations of double minute chromosomes harbor distinct amplicons, the MYC locus at 8q24.2 and a 0.43-Mb region at 14q24.1, in the SW613-S human carcinoma cell line

• Published in: Cytogenetic and genome research Vol. 124; no. 1; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Guillaud-Bataille, M., Brison, O., Danglot, G., Lavialle, C., Raynal, B., Lazar, V., Dessen, P., Bernheim, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.01.2009
• Subjects: Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Carcinoma - genetics; Cell Line, Tumor; Chromosome Aberrations; Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8; Clone Cells; Cytogenetics; DNA, Neoplasm; Female; Gene Amplification; Genes, myc; Humans; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Original Article; Reference Values; Transcription, Genetic
• ISSN: 1424-8581; 1424-859X
• DOI: 10.1159/000200082

High-level amplifications observed in tumor cells are usually indicative of genes involved in oncogenesis. We report here a high resolution characterization of a new amplified region in the SW613-S carcinoma cell line. This cell line contains tumorigenic cells displaying high-level MYC amplification in the form of double minutes (DM + cells) and non tumorigenic cells exhibiting low-level MYC amplification in the form of homogeneously staining regions (DM – cells). Both cell types were studied at genomic and functional levels. The DM + cells display a second amplification, corresponding to the 14q24.1 region, in a distinct population of DMs. The 0.43-Mb amplified and overexpressed region contains the PLEK2, PIGH, ARG2, VTI1B, RDH11, and ZFYVE26 genes. Both amplicons were stably maintained upon in vitro and in vivo propagation. However, the 14q24.1 amplicon was not found in cells with high-level MYC amplification in the form of HSRs, either obtained after spontaneous integration of endogenous DM MYC copies or after transfection of DM – cells with a MYC gene expression vector. These HSR-bearing cells are highly tumorigenic. The 14q24.1 amplification may not play a role in malignancy per se but might contribute to maintaining the amplification in the form of DMs.