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Characterization of the DiFi Rectal carcinoma cell line derived from a familial adenomatous polyposis patient

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Summary

The DiFi human colorectal cancer cell line was recently established from a familial adenomatous polyposis patient with extracolonic features characteristic of the Gardner syndrome. These cells have now been propagated for 150 passages in standard culture media and vessels without feeder layers or collagen coatings. They retain features of colonic epithelial cells such as surface microvilli, secretory vesicles, and desmosomes. Cytosol of DiFi cells contains a high level (502 U/mg protein) of the mucin CA 19-9. In addition, DiFi cells produce carcinoembryonic antigen, and induce tumors in athymic mice. Cytoskeleton analysis of DiFi cells by fluorescence microscopy showed a pronounced disorganization of actin cable structure. The isozyme genetic signature of DiFi cells is unique (0.01 probability of finding the same genetic signature in a different cell line), differs from that of HeLa cells, and has expressional features seen in other colorectal cell lines. The DiFi cell karyotype is tetraploid, contains many marker chromosomes, and shows numerous episomal particles. Two copies of chromosome 18 were absent, and only a single normal chromosome 17 was found. This parallels detection of allelic losses from DiFi cell DNA at loci on chromosomes 17p and 18 using molecular (cDNA) probes. DiFi cells clearly express transcripts for the c-myc proto-oncogene, the c-myb proto-oncogene, and thep53 tumor suppressor gene. Transforming growth factor beta inhibits DiFi cell growth in soft agar and suppresses c-myc expression in these cells. The value of this cell line in the study of genetic alterations in colorectal cancer is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Gastrointestinal Oncology and Digestive Diseases, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, USA

    Matilde Olive, David M. Wildrick, Patrice Lointier, Leor D. Roubein, Bernard Levin & Bruce M. Boman

  2. Department of Clinical Immunology and Biological Therapy, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., 77030, Houston, Texas

    Seema Untawale & Mark Blick

  3. Department of Genetics, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., 77030, Houston, Texas

    Michael J. Siciliano

  4. Department of Laboratory Medicine, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., 77030, Houston, Texas

    Herbert Fritsche

  5. Department of Cell Biology, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., 77030, Houston, Texas

    Sen Pathak & Lorraine M. Cherry

  6. Departments of Cell Biology and Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 37232, Nashville, Tennessee

    Robert J. Coffey

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  1. Matilde Olive
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Olive, M., Untawale, S., Coffey, R.J. et al. Characterization of the DiFi Rectal carcinoma cell line derived from a familial adenomatous polyposis patient. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol - Animal 29, 239–248 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02634191

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