Global analysis of gene expression in REF52 cells expressing SV40 T antigens

SV40 transforms cells through the action of two oncoproteins, large T antigen and small t antigen. Small t antigen targets phosphatase PP2A, while large T antigen stimulates cell proliferation and survival by action on multiple proteins, including the tumor suppressors Rb and p53. Large T antigen also binds components of the transcription initiation complex and several transcription factors. We examine global gene expression in SV40-transformed REF52 cells. SV40 transformation alters the expression of approximately 480 cellular genes. Much of this regulation is consistent with T antigen action on the Rb-E2F pathway. We used the Affymetrix RGU34A microarrays to probe the global mRNA expression from two wild-type REF52neo and three REF52neoT stable cell lines. Cells were grown to two days post-confluence and harvested.