A comprehensive karyotypic analysis on a newly developed hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HKCI-1, by spectral karyotyping and comparative genomic hybridization.

A continuously growing human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line was established from a Chinese male, carrier of the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This cell line, designated HKCI-1, grows as an adhering monolayer of polygonal epithelial cells that embody one or more nuclei. HKCI-1 secretes alpha-fetoprotein but shows no evidence of HBV carriage. Conventional banding analysis of the short-term cultured primary tumor and the propagated HKCI-1 revealed a chromosome modal number of near-triploidy. It was, however, impossible to derive their complete karyotype due to the complex nature of chromosomal rearrangements and many marker chromosomes of uncertain origin. Spectral karyotyping (SKY) is a newly developed molecular cytogenetic technique that allows the unprecedented discernment of chromosomal abnormalities. Spectral karyotyping analysis on HKCI-1 and the primary tumor elucidated all aberrant chromosomes and revealed complex karyograms. Recurring aberrations detected in both primary tumor and HKCI-1 included der(X)t(X;11)(q10;p10), der(1)t(1;10)(q10;?pq), der(4)t(4;16)(p10;q10), i(5p), del(5)(q13), der(7)t(7;21)(q32q10::q10), der(8)t(8;17)(q10;p10), and der(9)t(9;22)(q34;?pq). Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was employed to monitor the culture evolution in vitro. Genomic imbalances in HKCI-1 involved chromosomal losses on 4q, 5q13-qter, 8p, 9pter-q33, 10q, 11q, 13q, 16q, 17q12-qter, and 22, and low-level gains on 6pter-q22, 7p, 8q, 9q34, 10p, 11p, 12, 17pter-q11.2, 18, 19, 20, 21, and Y. High-level amplifications were also detected on 5pter-q12, 7q11.2-qter, and Xq. The corresponding CGH finding on the primary tumor indicated similar imbalances. TP53 mutational analysis showed that both HKCI-1 and the primary tumor had the aflatoxin-associated mutation in codon 249 and an additional TP53 polymorphism in codon 72. Our present study demonstrates the value of combined SKY and CGH study in defining complex rearrangements and identifying cryptic translocations, and provides a comprehensive analysis on the chromosomal abnormalities in HKCI-1.