Biologic properties of three newly established human esophageal carcinoma cell lines.

Three epithelial cell lines, CE-48T/VGH, CE-69T/-VGH, and CE-81T/VGH, were established from human squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. The cells were polygonal with a high nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio. Many cells were multinucleate. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of tonofilaments and desmosomes. Chromosome analysis showed that these 3 cell lines were heteroploids of human origin. When transplanted into BALB/c (nu/nu) mice, CE-69T/VGH and CE-81T/VGH produced tumors, the histology of which proved to be carcinomas. All 3 cell lines secreted carcinoembryonic antigen. However, the secretion patterns were different. These 3 cell lines may provide useful models for the study of human esophageal cancer.