In vitro differentiation and proliferation in a newly established human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line.

A newly established cell line, designated NRS-1, was derived from an alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma that developed in the left forearm of a 7-year-old girl. The cell line had a t(2; 13) chromosomal translocation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that 5' PAX3-3' FKHR chimeric transcript was expressed in NRS-1 cells. NRS-1 cells showed myogenic differentiation without any particular stimulus in vitro and exhibited various kinds of muscle markers. All-trans retinoic acid promoted cell differentiation in the myogenic direction. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) inhibited myogenic differentiation of those cells and promoted cell proliferation.