Tumorigenicity assay of the human mammary carcinoma cell line MCF-7

Abstract

A tumorigenicity assay was performed using DNA extracted from the human mammary carcinoma cell line MCF-7. Seven nude mouse tumors were obtained and were analyzed for the presence of human sequences and known activated oncogenes. The c-erbB.2/neu gene was identified in two tumors and two ras oncogenes in two other tumors. In order to characterize the mechanism of activation of the c-erbB.2/neu oncogene, we isolated and analyzed this gene from one of the tumors. The cloned gene did not present any rearrangement. c-erbB.2/neu transcripts from the nude mice tumors were of normal size. In one case overexpression was observed.