A neoplastic epithelial duct cell line established from an irradiated human salivary gland

Transformed epithelial cells were isolated by using tissue culture techniques from an irradiated human submandibular salivary gland which showed no neoplastic lesion. These cells, carrying colony-forming ability in semisolid agar, formed a semiconfluent monolayer with occasional tubular arrangement. All transformed clones were demonstrated by electron microscopic examination to be only one type of cells having fine structure similar to intercalated duct cells. Of six clones isolated, one clone with stable growth was cultured within the sponge matrix, resulting in formation of duct-like structure with mucinous eosinophilic substance. Moreover, inoculation of the cloned cells into nude mice resulted in a production of adenocarcinoma with solid and trabecular pattern. These findings indicate that a human intercalated duct cell line carrying tumorigenicity is established from a human submandibular salivary gland with an exposure to irradiation.