title: A continuous cell line (KK-2) from a supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor.
abstract: Tumor tissue located in the occipital lobe with hemorrhage was obtained from a 19-year-old patient. Histological examination indicated it to consist of undifferentiated small, round cells without neuronal or glial differentiation, and possibly to be a type of primitive neuroectodermal tumor. The tumor cells were cultured for 3 years and a continuous cell line (KK-2) was established. KK-2 was transplantable to nude mice. With immunocytochemistry, neuron-specific enolase, protein gene product 9.5, vimentin, TUJ1 (a monoclonal antibody specific for neuron-associated class III beta-tubulin isotype) and 6H7 (a monoclonal antibody to NCAM produced by us) were detected. None of the following could be found: glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100 protein, neurofilament and synaptophysin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, gastrin releasing peptide corticotropin-releasing factor, substance P, somatostatin, chromogranin, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase. The original tumor and KK-2 cells obtained after 3 years of culture and transplants in nude mice displayed essentially the same ultrastructural and immunohistochemical characteristics. KK-2 cells showed no differentiation to mature neuronal, glial or ependymal cells. This cell line may possibly serve as a useful model for studying cellular differentiation of human neuroectodermal tumors and normal neuronal development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kameya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suwa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009778:Occipital Lobe; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure