Establishment and biological characteristics of a human ovarian carcinoma cell line originated from peritoneal effusion

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Establishing ovarian cancer cell lines will benefit researches on biological characteristics of ovarian cancer stem cells and antitumor drugs. This study was to establish a human ovarian carcinoma cell line from peritoneal effusion, and explore its biological characteristics. METHODS: Cells were isolated from peritoneal effusion of an ovarian carcinoma patient, purified and cultured in vitro. The morphology of the cells was observed under electromicroscope. The growth curve of cells was drawn to calculate cell doubling time (TD). Cell karyotype was analyzed. The levels of sex hormone, and the expression of CA125 and CA19-9 in cell culture supernate were detected by radioimmunoassay. The cells were transplanted into nude mice to observe tumor formation. RESULTS: A new ovarian carcinoma cell line was established, which had been maintained in vitro for over 100 passages in two years. Abnormal nuclei were observed under electromicroscope. TD was 40.8 h. The karyotype of the cells was hyperdiploid with 63-120 chromosomes. The level of estradiol in cell culture supernate was 45.0 pg/mL; the level of testosterone was 0.03 ng/mL; pregnendione was undetected; the level of CA125 was 4.49 U/mL; the level of CA19-9 was 4.09 U/mL. Poorly differentiated ovarian adenocarcinoma was formed subcutaneously in nude mice after transplantation. CONCLUSION: The new ovarian carcinoma cell line is proved to be an immortalized and malignant cell line.