Establishment and characterization of a neu xenograft-derived human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line SLMT-1 of Chinese origin

A new human esophageal cancer cell line, named SLMT-1,was established from a nude-mouse xenograft of a well-differentiated esophageal squamous cell ca rcinoma (ESCC) of the lower esophagus from a male Hong Kong Chinese patient . SLMT-1, passaged over 34 times and with a doubling time of 31 hours, has the microscopic features of epithelial cells with adherent growth as a mono -layer. The general biologic properties of SLMT-1 cells were characterized by (1) a positive test of tumorigenicity obtained by injecting cells subcut aneously into athymic nude mice and observing their development into well-d ifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma; (2) immunohistochemical staining usi ng antibodies (AE1/AE3, CAM5.2 and MAK 6) which show the presence of cytoke ratin intermediate filaments; and (3) electron microscopy demonstrating the morphologic features of epithelial cells with the presence of desmosomes. The cytogenetic abnormalities found in both the primary culture and SLMT-1 included der(1;14)(q10;q10). add(1)(p1?), +1, c2, del(3)(q11), +6, +7, i(g) (q10), +8, +10, +11, -13, -15, 1-16. +17, -18, -19, -Y and marker chromosom es. Additional changes observed in the 34th passage included gains as well as losses of both numerical and structural abnormalities. Comparative genom ic hybridization (CGH) indicated copy number gains on chromosomal regions 3 q32-qter, 5p, Sp:12-p11.2, 11q13-q22 and 13q22-qter, and loss of the Y. The gains of 8p12-p11.2 in SLMT-1 cells are novel to ESCC. Based on its distin ct and common characteristics, the SLMT-1 cell line serves as a useful tool for studying the molecular and genetic basis of the pathogenesis of ESCC. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.