Establishment and characterization of human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

Objectives: Six human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (SNU-46, -585, -899, -1066, -1076, -1214) established from Korean patients are repo rted. Study Design: In vitro culture of six squamous cell carcinoma cell li nes derived from primary tumors of the larynx. Description of the cell line phenotypes and determination of molecular characteristics. Methods: Six la ryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines were cultured. The cell phenotyp es, including the histopathology of the primary tumors and in vitro growth characteristics, were determined. Molecular characterization was also perfo rmed, including DNA fingerprinting analysis and abnormalities of p15, p16, p53, and TGF-beta RII genes by polymerase chain reaction-based single stran d conformation polymorphism and sequencing analysis. Results: All cell line s grew as adherent cells; five lines grew as monolayers and one other line grew as stratifying colonies. All lines showed 1) high viability (75%-92%) with various doubling times (36-96 h); 2) absence of Mycoplasma and other b acteria; and 3) genetic heterogeneity by DNA profile analysis. p53 Mutation s were found in three lines and p16 mutations were observed in five cell li nes. TGF-beta RII mutations were found in two lines: one line had frameshif t mutation and another line had a missense mutation at the kinase domain, C onclusions: These newly established and characterized laryngeal squamous ce ll carcinoma cell lines will be useful for investigating the biologic chara cteristics of laryngeal cancer.