Verification and unmasking of widely used human esophageal adenocarcinoma cell lines

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2010 Feb 24;102(4):271-4. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djp499. Epub 2010 Jan 14.

Abstract

For decades, hundreds of different human tumor type-specific cell lines have been used in experimental cancer research as models for their respective tumors. The veracity of experimental results for a specific tumor type relies on the correct derivation of the cell line. In a worldwide effort, we verified the authenticity of all available esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) cell lines. We proved that the frequently used cell lines SEG-1 and BIC-1 and the SK-GT-5 cell line are in fact cell lines from other tumor types. Experimental results based on these contaminated cell lines have led to ongoing clinical trials recruiting EAC patients, to more than 100 scientific publications, and to at least three National Institutes of Health cancer research grants and 11 US patents, which emphasizes the importance of our findings. Widespread use of contaminated cell lines threatens the development of treatment strategies for EAC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma* / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma* / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma* / pathology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Benzenesulfonates / pharmacology
  • Biomedical Research / standards
  • Carcinoma / genetics
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Large Cell / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Large Cell / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic / standards*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • DNA Fingerprinting*
  • Esophageal Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Esophageal Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Esophageal Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • National Institutes of Health (U.S.)
  • Niacinamide / analogs & derivatives
  • Oligonucleotides
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology
  • Phenylurea Compounds
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Pyridines / pharmacology
  • Sorafenib
  • Stomach Neoplasms / genetics
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology
  • Tandem Repeat Sequences*
  • Telomerase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • United States

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzenesulfonates
  • GRN163L peptide
  • Oligonucleotides
  • Oligopeptides
  • Phenylurea Compounds
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyridines
  • Niacinamide
  • Sorafenib
  • Telomerase