Characterization of transgenic mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

Latest studies have shown that deregulated pseudogene transcripts contribute to cancer working as competing endogenous RNAs. Our research group has recently demonstrated that the overexpression of two pseudogenes, and , has a critical role in cancer progression. These pseudogenes work sustaining the expression of HMGA1 and other cancer-related genes. We generated a mouse model overexpressing to better study the -pseudogene function in a more physiological context. Here, we show the proliferation rate and the susceptibility to senescence of mouse embryonic fibroblasts obtained from -overexpressing mice to better characterize the HMGA1-pseudogene function. Indeed, our study reports that mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from mice express higher HMGA1 mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, these cells grow faster and senesce later than wild-type sustaining the oncogenic role of ceRNA crosstalk mediated by .