Characterization of the human cell line TE671

Abstract

The cell line TE671 has been widely used as a model of human medulloblastoma. In the present study we have demonstrated that transfection of DNA from this cell line into NIH 3T3 cells reveals the presence of an activated N-ras gene. Using oligonucleotide probes we have shown that the N-ras gene is activated by a point mutation at the third base of codon 61 resulting in the substitution of histidine for glutamine in the p21 ras gene product. We noted that this relatively uncommon activating mutation is also present in the human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line RD. Based on this finding and on the observation that several of the phenotypic characteristics of TE671, such as the presence of muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and the intermediate filament protein desmin, are suggestive of myoid origin we investigated the possible identity of these two cell lines. Cytogenetic analysis revealed the presence of marker chromosomes common to both TE671 and RD. DNA fingerprinting using both locus specific and multilocus core probes showed indistinguishable band patterns in the two cell lines. Taken together our data show that TE671 and RD are derivatives of the same cell line and we conclude that the properties of the TE671 line should be ascribed to rhabdomyosarcoma rather than medulloblastoma cells.

β-Trace Gene Expression Is Regulated by a Core Promoter and a Distal Thyroid Hormone Response Element

“…1). The human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line TE671 (25,26) expresses ␤TP mRNA at high levels and transfects efficiently (Fig. 2).…”

“…Transient Transfections and Cell Culture-The host cell line used in these studies was the human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line TE671 (ATCC CRL 8805) (25,26). Cells were passaged in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with 10% fetal bovine serum (BioWhittaker) and 40 g/ml gentamicin (Life Technologies, Inc.).…”

Activation of the IGF-IR system contributes to malignant growth of human and mouse medulloblastomas

“…In our hands however, and in contrast to TE-671, Daoy cells still require exogenous IGF-I to proliferate ( Figure 5). It must be emphasized that although TE-671 were isolated from a biopsy fragment from a cerebellar medulloblastoma, and were classi®ed once as a medulloblastoma cell line, several later articles criticized this classi®cation (for instance: Stratton et al, 1989;Pappas et al, 1996). Accordingly, TE-671 cells possess features that categorize them as rhabdomyosarcomas rather than medulloblastomas (Stratton et al, 1989).…”

“…It must be emphasized that although TE-671 were isolated from a biopsy fragment from a cerebellar medulloblastoma, and were classi®ed once as a medulloblastoma cell line, several later articles criticized this classi®cation (for instance: Stratton et al, 1989;Pappas et al, 1996). Accordingly, TE-671 cells possess features that categorize them as rhabdomyosarcomas rather than medulloblastomas (Stratton et al, 1989). This includes mutation within N-Ras gene (Fults et al, 1989), expression of the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (Pappas et al, 1996), and the presence of intermediate ®lament protein, desmin (Pappas et al, 1996).…”

Presence of Infectious RD-114 Virus in a Proportion of Canine Parvovirus Isolates

“…TE671 cells (human rhabdomyosarcoma) [11], TE671 cells persistently infected with RD-114 virus (TE671/RD cells) [12], TE671 cells and G355-5 cells transduced with nlsLacZ gene (termed TE671(LacZ) cells and G355-5(LacZ) cells, respectively [8]), CRFK cells, and G355-5(LacZ) cells inoculated with a supernatant of CRFK cells (G355-5(LacZ)/CRsup) were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.) supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum, penicillin (100 units/ml) and streptomycin (100 µg/ ml) (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, U.S.A.).…”