Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 85 (2), 117-123 (2001)
-Current Perspective-
Characterization and Application of a Gastric Surface Mucous Cell Line GSM06
Established From Temperature-Sensitive Simian Virus 40 Large T-Antigen Transgenic
Mice
Yoshiaki Tabuchi
Molecular Genetics Research Center, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical
University, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama City, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
*Corresponding author. FAX: +81-76-434-5176
E-mail: ytabu@ms.toyama-mpu.ac.jp
Abstract: It has been indicated that transgenic mouse harboring a
temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 large T-antigen gene is useful for
establishing cell lines from tissues that have proved difficult to culture
in vitro. The gastric surface mucous cell line GSM06 was established from
a primary culture of gastric fundic mucosal cells of the transgenic mice.
GSM06 cells showed temperature-sensitive growth in culture and expressed
large T-antigen at a permissive temperature (33¡C) but
not at a nonpermissive temperature (39¡C). At 39¡C,
the cells produced periodic acid-Schiff positive glycoconjugates that formed
a mucous sheet like the gastric surface mucosa in the stomach. Insulin markedly
increased the production of glycoconjugates. In addition, proprotein-processing
endoprotease furin suppression retarded cell growth, but accelerated cell
differentiation. An air-liquid interface promoted the differentiation of
GSM06 cells in a reconstruction culture with nitrocellulose membrane and
collagen gel. The gastric surface mucous cell line GSM06 with unique characteristics,
therefore, should be useful as an in vitro model of the gastric mucosa for
physiological and pharmacological investigations. Moreover, experiments
using immortalized cells established in vitro and having specific functions
may offer an alternative to experiments using living animals and thereby
offer a solution to this ethical issue.
Keywords: GSM06, Transgenic mouse, Gastric surface mucous cell, Temperature-sensitive
simian virus 40 large T-antigen, Cell differentiation
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