Stability and utility of the unique human small cell carcinoma line SHP-77.

The human small cell (oat cell) carcinoma line, SHP-77, established by Fisher and Paulson in 1977 and originally described as a “large cell variant of oat cell cancer” has been evaluated by several different parameters and shown even after more than 200 passages to retain properties described for the original cell line. Karyotypic, histological, and biochemical features are retained, as well as tumorigenicity in nude mice. The original authors' suggestion that this is a propitious cell line for both in vitro and in vivo studies is supported by this report. Modulation of growth characteristics in vivo (in xenografts) emphasizes the plasticity of this unique line which serves as a valuable model for basic as well as therapeutic studies. SHP-77 can serve as an in vitro target in 51Cr and 111In release cytotoxicity assays as well as in in vivo nude mouse assays for evaluating immune reactivity of cells and serum from lung cancer patients. The potential histological variability of SHP-77, despite its biochemical stability, calls attention to the inadequacy of histological criteria for lung tumor classification.