Altered biochemical profile and gene expression in aflatoxin B-1-transformed C3H10T1/2 cells

A transformed cell line 7SA, obtained by transformation of C3H10T1/2 cells with irt vitro activated aflatoxin B-1 (AFB(1)), was used to investigate biochemical and molecular alterations associated with transformation by AFB(1). 7SA cells demonstrate an altered biochemical phenotype characterized by alterations in phase I and phase II enzymes in a manner that would allow these cells to survive in a hostile chemical environment. Investigations of the molecular basis of transformation revealed no mutations in codons 12/13 and 61 of ras genes (Ha-, Ki- and N-ras) and in exons 5, 6, 7 and 8 of p53 tumor suppressor gene. However, subtractive hybridization led to the isolation of seven novel cDNA clones that demonstrated 2 to 10-fold overexpression of the mRNAs corresponding to the five cDNAs (SK1, SK2, SK3, SK4 and SK5) and >400 fold overexpression of the mRNAs corresponding to the other two cDNAs (SK67 and SK153). In addition, part of the sequence of the cDNA clone SK5 demonstrated >88% identity with L1-like mobile genetic element and Southern analysis of the DNA with SK5 cDNA as a probe revealed gene rearrangement in 7SA DNA, compared to DNA from C3H10T1/2 cells.