2022 journal article

The AGMK1-9T7 cell model of neoplasia: Evolution of DNA copy-number aberrations and miRNA expression during transition from normal to metastatic cancer cells

PLOS ONE, 17(10).

By: A. Lewis*, R. Thomas*, M. Breen*, K. Peden*, B. Teferedegne*, G. Foseh*, A. Motsinger-Reif n, D. Rotroff n, G. Lewis

co-author countries: United States of America 🇺🇸
MeSH headings : Animals; Humans; Chlorocebus aethiops; MicroRNAs / genetics; MicroRNAs / metabolism; Neoplasms / genetics; Carcinogenesis / genetics; DNA Copy Number Variations / genetics; Chromosome Aberrations; Neoplasms, Second Primary / genetics; DNA; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Gene Expression Profiling
Source: Web Of Science
Added: February 27, 2023

To study neoplasia in tissue culture, cell lines representing the evolution of normal cells to tumor cells are needed. To produce such cells, we developed the AGMK1-9T7 cell line, established cell banks at 10-passage intervals, and characterized their biological properties. Here we examine the evolution of chromosomal DNA copy-number aberrations and miRNA expression in this cell line from passage 1 to the acquisition of a tumorigenic phenotype at passage 40. We demonstrated the use of a human microarray platform for DNA copy-number profiling of AGMK1-9T7 cells using knowledge of synteny to 'recode' data from human chromosome coordinates to those of the African green monkey. This approach revealed the accumulation of DNA copy-number gains and losses in AGMK1-9T7 cells from passage 3 to passage 40, which spans the period in which neoplastic transformation occurred. These alterations occurred in the sequences of genes regulating DNA copy-number imbalance of several genes that regulate endothelial cell angiogenesis, survival, migration, and proliferation. Regarding miRNA expression, 195 miRNAs were up- or down-regulated at passage 1 at levels that appear to be biologically relevant (i.e., log2 fold change >2.0 (q<0.05)). At passage 10, the number of up/down-regulated miRNAs fell to 63; this number increased to 93 at passage 40. Principal-component analysis grouped these miRNAs into 3 clusters; miRNAs in sub-clusters of these groups could be correlated with initiation, promotion, and progression, stages that have been described for neoplastic development. Thirty-four of the AGMK1-9T7 miRNAs have been associated with these stages in human cancer. Based on these data, we propose that the evolution of AGMK1-9T7 cells represents a detailed model of neoplasia in vitro.