Human retinoblastoma cells express alpha B-crystallin in vivo and in vitro.

alpha B-crystallin is a major lens protein that is a member of the heat-shock family of proteins. Using immunohistochemical and northern blot techniques, we now demonstrate its presence in freshly-fixed retinoblastoma tissue. The protein is also abundantly expressed in cultured human retinoblastoma cells (Y-79 NEI, WERI Rb-1) as well as two subcultured Y-79 lines (ATCC and GM01232C). High expression of alpha B-crystallin may be involved in tumor growth and/or be a marker for general oncogenic "stress" in the tumor tissue.