Hybrids assimilate organ-specific metastasis gene signatures from both parental cells

Spontaneous cell fusion of MDA-MB-231 bone-metastatic subline Bm (i.e., SCP2) and lung metastatic subline Lm (i.e., LM2) gave rise to hybrid lines BLm-FACS or BLm-DRUG, as well as its single clones (#8, #12, #18). The hybrids acquired the metastasis tropisms from both parental cells. Expression profiles of the parental cells, the hybrids and several previously characterized MDA-MB-231 metastatic derivatives were compared. Hierarchical clustering showed the hybrids assimilated the organ-specific metastasis gene signatures from both parental cells. Keywords: Cell type comparison Twenty-six cell lines were analyzed, including the parental line MDA-MB-231; cell fusion partner lines Bm and Lm; self-fused lines BBm and LLm; hetero-fused lines BLm-FACS, BLM-DRUG and clones BLm-DRUG-8, -12 and -18; strongly bone-metastatic lines 1833, SCP14, SCP20, SCP25 and SCP46; strongly lung-metastatic lines 3481, 4142, 4173, 4175 and 4180; and weakly metastatic lines SCP3, SCP4, SCP6, SCP28, SCP32 and SCP43. Single sample for each line.