Immunocytochemical analysis of cell lines derived from solid tumors

Antibodies recognizing tissue-specific antigens are widely used to identify the histological origin of tumors. Here we tested the fidelity of selected tissue markers on all 167 solid tumor-derived continuous cell lines in the DSMZ cell lines bank. Most lines had an intermediate filament content cons istent with the tumor type from which they were derived. Thus, 93% of all c arcinoma cell lines expressed keratin filaments. With certain antibodies, s ome subclassification was possible. For example, the CK7 keratin 7 antibody can differentiate between colon and pancreas-derived carcinoma cell lines. Cell lines derived from non-carcinomas, in general, did not express kerati n but were vimentin-positive. Four of 10 glioma/astrocytoma cell lines expr essed GFAP, five of six neuroblastoma cell lines expressed neurofilaments, and the TE-671 rhabdomyosarcoma cell line expressed desmin. When other tiss ue markers were tested, 12/16 melanoma-derived cell lines expressed HMB-45, while PSA, CA125, and thyroglobulin were less useful. These results demons trate that cell lines retain some but not all markers typical of the origin al tumor type and identify certain markers useful in characterizing the his tological origin of cell lines. Our data question the identity of some cell lines submitted to the bank in the past. The immunoprofiles of 167 solid t umor-derived and 131 hematopoetic cell lines can be found at www.dsmz.de.