Characterization of human neuroblastoma cell lines established before and after therapy

Six new cell lines have been established from human neuroblastomas. Cell line SMS-KAN, from primary tumor before therapy, and line SMS-KANR, from bone marrow after chemotherapy and radiotherapy, were established from the same patient. Cell lines SMS-KCN (from primary tumor before any therapy) and SMS-KCNR (from bone marrow after chemotherapy) were established from another patient. Two other lines (SMS-MSN and SMS-SAN) were established from different patients before any therapy was given. Cell lines established from recurrent disease after chemotherapy (SMS-KANR and SMS-KCNR) had significantly shorter doubling times and increased plating efficiencies compared to those of cell lines derived from the same patient before chemotherapy (SMS-KAN and SMS-KCN). All cell lines contained tyrosine hydroxylase, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase. Measurable amounts of choline acetyltransferase were also detected in SMS-KAN and SMS-KANR. Karyotype analysis showed all cell lines except SMS-MSN to be pseudodiploid with modal numbers of 46 and deletions of the short arm of chromosome 1; SMS-MSN had a modal number of 57-58 chromosomes. All cell lines had double-minute chromosomes, except SMS-KANR, which had abnormally banding regions. These new cell lines provide in vitro models of neuroblastoma suitable for the study of differences in neuroblastoma cell populations before chemotherapy as compared to the cell populations that proliferate after therapy.