Porcine endometrial epithelial cells immortalized by transfection with origin-defective, temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 DNA.

The purpose of this study was to immortalize porcine endometrial cells and to characterize the transformed cells. Primary porcine endometrial cells were transfected with the plasmid vector (pmk16) containing SV40 DNA using a liposome-mediated method. The viral DNA was from a replication-defective, origin-minus, temperature-sensitive mutant strain (A58). One clone, designated PE-1, has been propagated for over 120 passages. PE-1 cells grown at 33C (33C cells) exhibit spindle-shaped morphology; when cultured at 40C (40C cells), they took on a polygonal or spherical shape. Morphology of 40C cells returned to the spindle shape after culture flasks were shifted back to 33C. During a 2-week period, 33C cells propagated approximately 30-fold faster than 40C cells, whereas protein concentration was higher in 40C cells. Southern blot analysis of PE-1 cells demonstrated successful integration of the ts-SV40 DNA sequence into the porcine endometrial cells, possibly at multiple sites. The presence of cytokeratin on PE-1 cell membranes was shown by immunocytochemical studies, suggesting that the PE-1 cell clone was of epithelial origin. Reverse phase (RP)-HPLC analysis of PE-1 cell extract indicated that the majority of immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir-BEND) eluted with a hydrophobicity similar to that of synthetic BEND and alpha-N-acetylated BEND (Nac-BEND). These results demonstrate that a porcine endometrial cell line has been established, and that this cell line possesses characteristics of temperature sensitivity in cell morphology, growth rate, and protein synthesis.