Establishment and characterization of a human ovarian sarcomatoid carcinoma cell line BUPH:OVSC

We first established a human ovarian sarcomatoid carcinoma cell line designated BUPH:OVSC from primary culture. The specimen was derived from the mural nodule in an ovarian mucinous tumor and cultured in vitro. To date, the cell line has been maintained for over 100 passages. Its biologic characteristics were studied by light and electron microscopy, which revealed spindle-shaped or polygonal cells with a doubling time of 39.5 h. The agglutination test of BUPH:OVSC was positive, and cell colonies were formed in soft agar. Chromosome analysis revealed its karyotype to be a pseudodiploidy. One X chromosome deletion and chromosome 20 addition were detected, and aberrant chromosomes t (1q;12q) and 14p(+) were its chromosome markers. BUPH:OVSC was tumorigenic in nude mice. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of transplanted tumors showed that the cells were morphologically sarcomatoid. However, the transmission electron microscopic observation exposed its epithelial origin. The cell line coexpresses cytokeratin and vimentin. It dose not appear to express estrogen and progesterone receptors or the CA125 tumor marker. Alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff staining indicates that the cells could secrete acid mucopolysaccharide. In conclusion, BUPH:OVSC displays unique cellular properties, which make it a useful model for the study of human ovarian sarcomatoid carcinomas.