THE EXPRESSION OF CYTOKINES BY AN ESTABLISHED BASAL-CELL CARCINOMA CELL-LINE (BGC-1 KMC) COMPARED WITH CULTURED NORMAL KERATINOCYTES/

A basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cell line (BCC-1/KMC) has recently been s uccessfully established from a patient. The production of interleukin- 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, IL-6 and IL-8 was assessed in compari son with that of cultured normal keratinocytes. The mRNA expression of these cytokines was measured by a reverse transcriptase-polymerase ch ain reaction (RT-PCR) method and the protein production by an ELISA. T he cultured BCC cells spontaneously secreted more IL-6 and IL-8 but le ss IL-1 than the keratinocytes after culture for 24 h at 37 degrees C. It is suggested that the increased expression of IL-6 and IL-8 may in dicate the transformation of normal keratinocytes to locally aggressiv e BCC.