Chromophilic renal cell carcinoma: cytomorphological and cytogenetic characterisation of four permanent cell lines.

C-D Gerharz,He Gabbert,U Ramp,M Sarbia,S Störkel,R Moll,B Hildebrandt,P Koldovsky

doi:10.1038/bjc.1996.596

Abstract

Chromophilic renal cell carcinoma is a distinct type of human renal cancer, only recently recognised and defined by its characteristic histomorphological aspect and cytogenetic aberrations. We are the first to report on the establishment and cytogenetic characterisation of a panel of four permanent cell lines, i.e. chromphi-1, -2, -3 and -4, derived from strictly defined renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) of the chromophilic type and kept in continuous culture for up to 5 years. Immunohistochemistry revealed coexpression of vimentin and cytokeratins in all cell lines the cytokeratin polypeptide patterns, however, varying between the different cell lines. By light and transmission electron microscopy, various amounts of cytoplasmatic glycogen deposition were observed, being most pronounced in chromphi-3 and -4. The mean population doubling time ranged from 24 h (chromphi-1) to 51 h (chromphi-4). Chromphi-1 tumour cells produced slowly growing tumours in nude mice using the subrenal capsule assay. In all cell lines, cytogenetic analysis revealed numerical chromosomal aberrations known to be characteristic for chromophilic RCCs, i.e. loss of the Y chromosome, tri- or tetrasomy of chromosomes 7 and 17 as well as various combinations of additional structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations. Karyological aberrations were least pronounced in chromphi-2 and most complex in chromphi-1. Chromosomal aberrations typically affecting the short arm of chromosome 3 in clear cell RCCs were not observed in any of our cell lines.

Highlights

The papillary renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) cell line previously described by Anglard et al (1992) might represent a chromophilic RCC, but has not been defined by cytogenetic analysis and is referred to as a 'low passage' cell line without explicit comment on its growth beyond passage 10
As we are not aware of any other report on strictly defined chromophilic RCC cell lines, we report on the establishment and cytogenetic characterisation of four different cell lines originating from the chromophilic type of RCC as defined by Thoenes et al (1986) and kept in continuous culture for up to 5 years
Chromophilic renal carcinoma cell lines C-D Gerharz et al During the last 5 years, 42 different human renal cell carcinomas of the chromophilic type had been available for cultivation in vitro (34 tumours originated in male patients, eight tumours in female patients)

Summary

Objectives

As we are not aware of any other report on strictly defined chromophilic RCC cell lines, the purpose of the present study was to describe the cytomorphological and cytogenetic characteristics of four newly established cell lines derived from the chromophilic type of RCCs as defined by Thoenes et al (1986)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion