CYTOGENETIC, MOLECULAR AND PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED RENAL-CARCINOMA CELL-LINE KJ29 - EVIDENCE OF TRANSLOCATIONSFOR CHROMOSOME-1 AND CHROMOSOME-3

The established non papillary human renal carcinoma cell line (RCC) KJ 29 was submitted to a multiparametric characterization to evaluate its potential use for in vitro and in vivo studies. The cell line grows i n vitro as monolayer as well as cell suspension. Cytogenetic analysis has shown a modal chromosome number of 50 with some marker chromosomes , including rearrangements of chromosomes 1 and 3. The antigenic pheno type is characterized by co-expression of cytokeratin and vimentin, as well as expression of urothelium differentiation antigens, low levels of class II MHC antigens and no class I antigens. A differential expr ession of the VLA-3 integrin heterodimer has been detected between the adherent and non adherent cell population. The cell line which is hig hly tumorigenic in athymic mice displays expression of erb B-2 and c-m et oncogenes and high expression of cell-cycle related and Ha-ras 1 ge nes.