title: Phenotypes and karyotypes of human malignant mesothelioma cell lines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive tumour of serosal surfaces most commonly pleura. Characterised cell lines represent a valuable tool to study the biology of mesothelioma. The aim of this study was to develop and biologically characterise six malignant mesothelioma cell lines to evaluate their potential as models of human malignant mesothelioma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five lines were initiated from pleural biopsies, and one from pleural effusion of patients with histologically proven malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelial origin was assessed by standard morphology, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and immunocytochemistry. Growth characteristics were assayed using population doubling times. Spectral karyotyping was performed to assess chromosomal abnormalities. Authentication of donor specific derivation was undertaken by DNA fingerprinting using a panel of SNPs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of cell lines exhibited spindle cell shape, with some retaining stellate shapes. At passage 2 to 6 all lines stained positively for calretinin and cytokeratin 19, and demonstrated capacity for anchorage-independent growth. At passage 4 to 16, doubling times ranged from 30-72 hours, and on spectral karyotyping all lines exhibited numerical chromosomal abnormalities ranging from 41 to 113. Monosomy of chromosomes 8, 14, 22 or 17 was observed in three lines. One line displayed four different karyotypes at passage 8, but only one karyotype at passage 42, and another displayed polyploidy at passage 40 which was not present at early passages. At passages 5-17, TEM showed characteristic features of mesothelioma ultrastructure in all lines including microvilli and tight intercellular junctions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These six cell lines exhibit varying cell morphology, a range of doubling times, and show diverse passage-dependent structural chromosomal changes observed in malignant tumours. However they retain characteristic immunocytochemical protein expression profiles of mesothelioma during maintenance in artificial culture systems. These characteristics support their potential as in vitro model systems for studying cellular, molecular and genetic aspects of mesothelioma.
authors.affiliation: UQ Thoracic Research Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. v.relan@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Vandana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Relan
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Kylie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parsonson
authors.forename: Belinda E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Edwina E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Duhig
authors.forename: Morgan N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Windsor
authors.forename: Kevin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Matar
authors.forename: Rishendran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naidoo
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Passmore
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McCaul
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Courtney
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Kwun M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Rayleen V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Bowman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D059785:Karyotype; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000473:pathology; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured