The t(16;21)(p11;q22) translocation is a non-random chromosomal aberration observed in several types of human acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), whereas the der(16)t(1;16) and chromosome rearrangements at 12q13 are frequently found in solid tumors. A novel cell line YNH-1 was established from peripheral blood cells of a 46-year-old male with AML (M1) carrying t(16;21) and t(1;16) translocations. YNH-1 has been maintained with a doubling time of 82 h for more than 20 months as a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) dependent line. Morphologically YNH-1 cells were free-floating immature myeloblasts with lobulated nuclei and vacuoles in the cytoplasm. They were positive for myeloperoxidase but negative for alpha-naphthyl butylate esterase and chloroacetate esterase stainings. In surface marker analysis YNH-1 cells were positive for CD13, CD33 and CD34. Chromosomal analysis showed 46, XY, der(16)t(16;21)(p11;q22)t(1;16) (q12;q13), der(21)t(16;21)(p11;q22), der (6)t(6;12)(q13;q13), der(12)t(6;12)(q21;q13). These translocations were confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) studies with the ERG-YAC clone and chromosome-specific DNA libraries. Both the FUS/ERG and ERG/FUS chimeric transcripts were identified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Thus, YNH-1 could be a useful tool for elucidating the pathophysiology and molecular mechanism in AML with t(16;21),t(1;16) and 12q13 translocations.