IMMORTALIZATION OF HUMAN CELLS

STUDIES OF THE REGULATION OF CELL GROWTH AND OF ONCOGENIC TRANSFORMATION HAVE REVEALED KEY ROLES FOR VIRAL TRANSFORMING GENES AS WELL AS FOR EXTERNAL GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION FACTORS. CERTAIN VIRAL GENES HAVE BEEN USED IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF PRIMARY CELLS TO IMMORTALITY IN CULTURE, AND MANIPULATION OF CULTURE CONDITIONS HAS ALSO YIELDED CHANGES IN THE LIFESPAN OF SOME CELL TYPES. A PRINCIPAL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EXPLOIT THESE PHENOMENAIN ORDER TO GENERATE HUMAN CELL LINES WHICH WOULD BE USEFUL IN THE PRODUCTION OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS. IN PHASE I OF THE PROJECT, TRANSFORMATION OF PRIMARY HUMAN CELLS TO EXTENDED OR UNLIMITED LIFESPAN IN CULTURE WILL BE EXPLORED. THIS RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON IMMORTALITY AND FULL NEOPLASTIC (MALIGNANT) TRANSFORMATION. A BANK OF HUMAN CELL LINES FOR ONGOING STUDY WILL BE GENERATED IN THE LATER STAGE OF PHASE I. IN PHASE II OF THE PROJECT, FURTHER GENETIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF OUR CELL LINES, INCLUDING STUDIES ON STABILITY, TUMORIGENESIS, AND RESPONSE TO FURTHER TRANSFORMING EVENTS; ENGINEERING OF A SECOND GENERATION OF HUMAN CELL LINES WHICH PRODUCE COMPOUNDS OF BIOLOGICAL INTEREST, EITHER BY IMMORTALIZATION OF INTERESTING PRIMARY CELLS, OR BY RECOMBINANT TECHNIQUES; AND USE OF THESE CELL LINES IN SCALED-UP CONDITIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND OTHER PRODUCTS WILL BE CONDUCTED.