HT-1376 Cells

The HT-1376 cell line is derived from a human bladder carcinoma, specifically a grade 3 transitional cell carcinoma. This cell line was established from a tumor obtained via transurethral resection from an adult female patient who had a history of invasive bladder carcinoma. HT-1376 cells exhibit epithelial characteristics, including the presence of microvilli and tonofibrils, which are indicative of their epithelial origin. Additionally, these cells display several marker chromosomes, which distinguish them from other known tumor cell lines. HT-1376 cells are also known to grow in soft agar and are highly tumorigenic, forming tumors when injected into immunocompromised mice and hamsters.

HT-1376 is significant in bladder cancer research due to its genetic profile, including notable alterations in the 9p21 chromosomal region. This region often undergoes large homozygous deletions, leading to the inactivation of critical tumor suppressor genes such as CDKN2, CDKN2B, and MTAP. These deletions are common in bladder cancer and are crucial for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis. For instance, the loss of CDKN2 and CDKN2B is associated with the dysregulation of the cell cycle, which is a key event in cancer progression. Furthermore, HT-1376 cells have been studied for their expression of the p16 protein, a product of the CDKN2 gene, which is often correlated with the absence of pRb expression, another tumor suppressor protein.

The HT-1376 cell line has also been used in virology research to assess the presence of tumor viruses, although no virus expression has been detected in these cells. This makes HT-1376 a valuable model for studying the non-viral mechanisms of bladder cancer development and progression. The cell line's genetic alterations and its ability to grow in vitro and in vivo provide a robust platform for preclinical studies, including drug testing and the exploration of new therapeutic strategies targeting specific genetic pathways in bladder cancer.