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Coexpression of stem cell factor and its receptor c-Kit in human malignant glioma cell lines

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Abstract

Stem cell factor (SCF), a hematopoietic growth factor, is the ligand of the tyrosine kinase receptor encoded by the c-kit proto-oncogene. Beside the important role of this receptor-ligand complex in hematopoiesis, gametogenesis and melanogenesis, SCF and its receptor have been shown to be expressed in the brain. We have studied the expression of SCF and c-kit in 20 human malignant glioma cell lines at the mRNA as well as at the protein level. In addition, recombinant human (rh) SCF was tested in [3H]thymidine uptake assays for a mitogenic effect on these cells. SCF and c-Kit proteins were detected in the cytoplasm of glioma cells by alkaline phoshatase-monoclonal anti-alkaline phosphatase immunostaining and Western blot analysis. However, neither SCF nor c-Kit were seen on the cell surface by flow cytometry. Furthermore, none of the proliferation assays showed a mitogenic effect for exogenously added rhSCF. Blocking studies using an anti-SCF antibody failed to demonstrate modulating effects on the growth of selected cell lines. These results suggest that SCF and c-Kit may mediate non-proliferative signals or may employ intracellular mechanisms for autocrine growth regulation of glioma cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Medical School Hannover, Germany

    Martin Stanulla, Karl Welte & Torsten Pietsch

  2. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Medical School Hannover, Germany

    Martin R. Hadam

  3. Department of Neuropathology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, D-53105, Bonn, Germany

    Torsten Pietsch

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  1. Martin Stanulla
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  2. Karl Welte
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  3. Martin R. Hadam
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  4. Torsten Pietsch
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Stanulla, M., Welte, K., Hadam, M.R. et al. Coexpression of stem cell factor and its receptor c-Kit in human malignant glioma cell lines. Acta Neuropathol 89, 158–165 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296360

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296360

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