Abstract
Cellular genes containing nucleotide sequences homologous to retroviral oncogenes (v-onc) have been identified in the genomes of a variety of species of both the vertebrate and invertebrate phyla1. Expression of such genes, termed c-onc genes, has been shown to be tissue-specific in chickens1–4 and mice5–8 and to be modulated during murine development5–8 and differentiation of human haematopoietic cells9,10. We report here that the level of the c-fos gene transcripts is 100-fold greater in human term fetal membranes than in other normal human tissues and cells. These levels of c-fos expression in human amniotic and chorionic cells are close to the level of v-fos expression that results in the induction of osteosarcomas in mice and transformation of fibroblasts in vitro. This observation suggests that the induction of neoplastic transformation by the FBJ murine osteosarcoma virus may require the expression of the fos gene product at high levels in an inappropriate cell type. In contrast, the human c-fms gene is expressed at high levels specifically in term placenta and trophoblastic cells. The tissue and cell type-specific patterns of c-fos and c-fms expression suggest that the physiological function of the c-fos and c-fms encoded proteins may be associated with those embryo-derived cells whose primary functions are protection and nourishment of the human fetus.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bishop, J. M. & Varmus, H. E. in RNA Tumor Viruses, The Molecular Biology of Tumor Viruses Pt III (eds Weiss, A., Teich, N., Varmus, H. & Coffin, J.) 999–1108 (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1982).
Chen, J. H. J. Virol. 36, 162–170 (1980).
Shibuya, M., Hanafusa, H. & Balduzzi, P. L. J. Virol. 42, 143–152 (1982).
Gonda, T. J., Sheiness, D. K. & Bishop, J. M. Molec. cell. Biol. 2, 617–624 (1982).
Müller, R. et al. Nature 299, 640–644 (1982).
Müller, R. et al. Molec. cell. Biol. 3, 1062–1069 (1983).
Müller, R. Cold Spring Harb. Cell Proliferation 10 (in the press).
Müller, R., Verma, I. M. & Adamson, E. D. EMBO J. 2, 679–684 (1983).
Westin, E. H. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 2194–2198 (1982).
Westin, E. H. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 2490–2494 (1982).
Van Beveren, C., van Straaten, F., Curran, T., Müller, R. & Verma, I. M. Cell 32, 1241–1255 (1983).
Van Straaten, F., Müller, R., Curran, T., Van Beveren, C. & Verma, I. M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 3183–3187 (1983).
Curran, T., MacConnell, W. P., van Straaten, F. & Verma, I. M. Molec. cell. Biol. 3, 914–921 (1983).
Hayflick, L. & Moorhead, P. S. Expl Cell Res. 25, 585–621 (1961).
Zeuthen, J. et al. Int. J. Cancer 25, 19–32 (1980).
Patillo, R. A. & Gey, G. O. Cancer Res. 28, 1231–1236 (1968).
Hayflick, L. Expl Cell Res. 23, 14–20 (1961).
Fogh, J. & Lund, R. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. Med. 94, 512–537 (1957).
Fabricant, R. N., DeLarco, J. E. & Todaro, G. J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 565–569 (1977).
Rasheed, S. et al. Cancer 33, 1027–1033 (1974).
Collins, S. J., Gallo, R. C. & Gallagher, R. E. Nature 270, 347–349 (1977).
Adamson, E. D., Deller, M. J. & Warshaw, J. B. Nature 291, 656–659 (1981).
Curran, T. & Teich, N. M. Virology 116, 221–235 (1982).
Donner, L. et al. J. Virol. 41, 489–500 (1982).
Chang, E. H. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 4848–4852 (1982).
Sheiness, D. & Bishop, J. M. J. Virol. 31, 514–521 (1979).
Hertz, R. Choriocarcinoma and Related Gestational Tumors in Women, 1–12 (Raven, New York, 1978).
Cooper, G. M. Science 218, 801–806 (1982).
Taub, R. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 7837–7841 (1982).
Graham, F. L. & van der Eb, A. J. Virology 52, 456–467 (1973).
Corsaro, C. M. & Pearson, M. L. Somat. Cell Genet. 7, 603–616 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Müller, R., Tremblay, J., Adamson, E. et al. Tissue and cell type-specific expression of two human c-onc genes. Nature 304, 454–456 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/304454a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/304454a0
This article is cited by
-
c-fos regulates neuronal excitability and survival
Nature Genetics (2002)
-
Transcription factor AP‐1, and the role of Fra‐2
Immunology & Cell Biology (1996)
-
Light and electron microscopic evidences of the presence of c-fos-like immunoreactivity in the rat adrenal cortex
Histochemistry (1989)
-
Control of myogenic differentiation by cellular oncogenes
Molecular Neurobiology (1988)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.