Characterization of three newly established rat sarcoma cell clones

Establishment of new animal models using selected cell lines with different behaviour is very important for cancer investigations. In this study, we describe three morphologically distinct rat sarcoma clones—C4, C7 and D6—isolated from the R5-28 cell line. Cells of all clones expressed vimentin, fibronectin, laminin, collagen IV and matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9. However, desmin, cytokeratins 8 and 18, ZO-1 and desmoplakins I and II were not detected. Significant proliferative capacity was documented by proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression and BrdU positivity. Karyotype of the C4, C7 and D6 cells greatly differed from diploid chromosome number of normal rat somatic cells. High expression of three cytokines—monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor—was observed in all three clones. However, they varied in concentration of chemokines associated with neutrophil migration and activation—cytokine induced neutrophil chemoattractant 2 and lipopolysaccharide induced CXC chemokine. The C4 clone showed spontaneous tumour regression in vivo that was associated with significant changes in lymphocyte subpopulations.