Thyroid epithelial cell transformation by a retroviral vector expressing SV40 large T.

A recombinant murine retroviral vector encoding the SV40 virus large T antigen was used to infect stably an immortal line of differentiated rat thyroid epithelial cells, FRTL-5. Expression of SV40 T transformed these cells to anchorage independence and tumorigenicity but did not alter morphology or abolish tissue-specific functions and growth factor requirements. The resulting phenotype provides a model of well-differentiated human thyroid cancer.