Abstract B10: Genetic profiling reveals cross-contamination and misidentification of six adenoid cystic carcinoma cell lines

Abstract

Abstract Cell lines established from human tissues are extensively used to study human diseases and other conditions. Lines derived from malignant neoplasms are particularly useful tools for investigating mechanisms of tumor initiation and development. These cells are often used as preclinical models for the disease, as sources for biomarker or drug target identification, and as vessels to screen for efficacy hits and for early toxicity indicators. Because of the increasing importance of cultured cells in cancer research and other biomedical studies, cross-contamination of cell lines is becoming a more frequently encountered problem. It has been reported that approximately 20% of cell lines are incorrectly designated. Here we report that all six salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) cell lines had been contaminated with other cells. We performed DNA fingerprint analysis on six ACC cell lines using short tandem repeat (STR) examinations. ACC2, ACC3, and ACCM were determined to be cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells), whereas the ACCS cell line was composed of T24 urinary bladder cancer cells. These observations suggest that future studies using ACC cell lines should include cell line authentication to avoid the use of contaminated or nonhuman cells. Citation Information: Clin Cancer Res 2010;16(14 Suppl):B10.