Exposure of an immortalized human bronchial epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B, to one of four metals (arsenic, chromium, nickel or vanadium) to determine the early changes that lead to cell transformation

To determine early changes leading to human cell transformation (cancer) we exposed an immortalized human bronchial epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B, to one of four different metals that may cause cancer via inhalation in humans or rodents: 2.0 micro-Molar soluble sodium arsenite (NaAsO2), 0.50 micro-Molar potassium chromate (K2CrO4), 250 micro-Molar nickel (II) sulfate (NiSO4), 10 micro-Molar sodium meta-vanadate (NaVO3), or were left untreated (control). After a 30-60 day exposure, cells were rinsed of metals and seeded in soft agar. A small number of the cells formed colonies in the soft agar, demonstrating the potential for anchorage independent growth, a characteristic of cancer. These colonies that originated from a single cell were extracted from the agar and grown out in monolayer for 3-4 weeks. The RNA data provided here is taken from these cells. The significance it that the metal exposure was stopped many generations before the analysis, yet each sample demonstrates changes in gene expression based on the original metal exposure.

39

Clancy HA, Sun H, Passantino L, Kluz T, Muñoz A, Zavadil J, Costa M