ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NOVEL HUMAN BLADDER-CANCER CELL-LINE - BK10

Molecular studies of bladder carcinomas have aided in determining caus ative generic events and the prognosis of cancers endowed with certain abnormalities. In vitro bladder cancer characterization of key cytoge netic alterations is useful for study of molecular changes that may pr omote oncogenic events. In our laboratory, a novel human bladder cance r cell line, BK10, has been established in vitro and passaged for more than 20 mo. This new bladder cancer cell line (BK10) was derived from bladder tissue containing grade III-IV/IV transitional cell carcinoma . Bladder cancer tissue was obtained at the time of radical cystoprost atectomy extirpation. Cell cultures derived from this surgical sample exhibited an epithelial morphology and expressed epithelial cytokerati ns. Immunostains of BK10 were negative for prostate specific antigen ( PSA), fibronectin, smooth muscle actin alpha, and desmin. Karyotypic a nalysis revealed an aneuploid chromosomal content <4n> with many numer ical and structural abnormalities previously linked to bladder oncogen esis. Translocations occurred in chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 , 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, X and Y. G-banding analysis revealed rearrangements involving chromosomes 9q and 17p, and the loca tion of the abl1 oncogene and the p53 gene, respectively. The availabi lity of this bladder cancer cell line will provide a useful tool for t he further study of bladder carcinoma oncogenesis and gene therapy.