agar and Cystadenocarcinoma

Morphofunctional peculiarities of tumor cells from 15 endometrial adenocarcinomas and 2 ovarian tumors have been investigated at the ultrastructural level. These cells could develop two types of colonies in soft agar: those with histotypical differentiation (numerous microvilli, well developed tight junctions, desmosomes, secretory granules), and those without it (absence of epithelial features, ability of tumor cells to produce filamentous extracellular matrix and striated collagen fibrils which are characteristic of fibroblastic cells). The addition of progesterone and tamoxifen to cell cultures resulted in rising the level of cell differentiation in the colonies. The fact that endometrial and ovarian cancer cells can express the properties specific of connective tissue cells may suggest a multipotention of the Mullerian epithelium derivatives to shed light on the histogenesis of the mixed Mullerian tumors of uterus.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Agar; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Culture Media; Cystadenocarcinoma; Endometrial Neoplasms; Female; Granulosa Cell Tumor; Humans; Methotrexate; Microscopy, Electron; Morphogenesis; Ovarian Neoplasms; Progesterone; Tamoxifen; Tumor Cells, Cultured

In the present study we describe the establishment and characteristics of a new human tumor cell line (OV-1063) positive for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) originating from ovarian metastatic tumor cells. Analysis of the cultured cells during their in vitro adaptation period revealed while the primary culture exhibited a low proportion of CEA-positive cells, this proportion increased with culture passages and eventually more than 90% of the cells in the established line were CEA-positive. Thus, during the period of adaptation to in vitro growth, a selection for CEA-positive cells took place but the amount of CEA secreted per each positive cell seemed to be constant. Several tumor-associated characteristics were found positive on the established OV-1063 cell line. The in vitro growing cell line exhibited an abnormal chromosome pattern with a near-trisomy karyotype for some chromosomes, colony formation in soft agar as well as positive staining with a monoclonal antibody B38.1. Culture supernatants of the OV-1063 cells contained significant amounts of CEA as well as CA-125 antigen which is an ovarian-carcinoma-associated antigen.

Topics: Agar; Antigens, Neoplasm; Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; Ascitic Fluid; Carcinoembryonic Antigen; Cell Line; Culture Media; Cystadenocarcinoma; Female; Humans; Karyotyping; Keratins; Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; Middle Aged; Ovarian Neoplasms

Four families of human tumour cell lines--one of uterine, and three of ovarian origin--were established at early passage level from primary biopsy specimens of terminal patients by the propagation of anchorage-independent agar clones in liquid culture. All cell lines exhibited unique and stable characteristics and retained their ability to clone in agar. However, considerable heterogeneity was evident in clonogenic capacity, karyotype, and responsiveness to growth-promoting substances even among progeny of single agar clones isolated from the one biopsy specimen. These cell lines will be made available for further study upon request.

Topics: Agar; Aged; Biopsy; Carcinoma; Cell Line; Culture Media; Cystadenocarcinoma; Cytological Techniques; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Experimental; Ovarian Neoplasms; Uterine Neoplasms

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous; Agar; Cell Division; Chromosome Aberrations; Cisplatin; Clone Cells; Cystadenocarcinoma; Drug Resistance; Endometriosis; Female; Humans; Methods; Neoplasms, Experimental; Ovarian Neoplasms; Phagocytes