Establishment and characterization of a thymic carcinoma cell line (Ty‐82) carrying t(15;19)(ql5;p13) chromosome abnormality

Abstract A new human cell line, designated Ty‐82, was established from the pleural effusion of a 22‐year‐old woman with undifferentiated thymic carcinoma. This cell line consisted of primitive cells that were positive for α‐naphthyl butyrate esterase and acid phosphatase. The cells were shown to express epithelial membrane antigen, but were completely negative for cytokeratin, carcinoembryonic antigen, glial fibrillary acidic protein, desmin, S‐100 protein, lysozyme, Leu‐7, HLA‐DR (la), leukocyte common antigen, Ki‐I antigen, T‐cell antigens, B‐cell antigens, myelomonocyte antigens, and Epstein‐Barr‐virus nuclear antigen. Electron microscopy showed that the cells were highly anaplastic, with no sign of cellular differentiation to any lineages. The Ty‐82 cell line was found to have a karyotype of 46, XX, t( 15; 19)(q 15;p 13), being identical to that of the patient's tumor cells. Four of 5 nude mice inoculated sub‐cutaneously with Ty‐82 cells developed tumors which displayed a histological picture similar to the original tumor. Thymic carcinoma is a recently recognized entity, and its cellular and clinical behavior are poorly understood. The newly established thymic carcinoma cell line would provide a useful tool for the better understanding of this rare disease.