NCI-H460: A Key Model for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Research

NCI-H460 is one of the most widely utilized cell line models for studying non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), offering researchers a valuable tool for investigating cancer biology, drug responses, and developing novel therapeutic approaches. At Cytion, we provide high-quality NCI-H460 cells to support groundbreaking research in oncology and drug development.

Origin

The NCI-H460 Cell Line was derived from a 50-year-old male patient with large cell lung carcinoma, a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer characterized by large, abnormal cells that multiply quickly and can spread earlier than other types. This cell line was established by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and has become a cornerstone for studying NSCLC biology. The cells were obtained from the pleural fluid of the patient, preserving key characteristics of the original tumor, including its aggressive growth patterns and metastatic potential. For researchers investigating lung cancer cell lines, NCI-H460 provides a reproducible model that closely mimics human disease, making it invaluable for translational cancer research.

Key Applications

The versatility of the NCI-H460 cell line has established it as an essential model across multiple research applications. In drug screening initiatives, these cells serve as a reliable platform for evaluating novel therapeutic compounds, allowing researchers to assess efficacy, cytotoxicity, and mechanism of action in a standardized NSCLC model. Our customers frequently utilize NCI-H460 cells for identifying promising drug candidates before advancing to more complex models. In cancer metabolism studies, this cell line exhibits characteristic metabolic reprogramming, including enhanced glycolysis and glutaminolysis, making it ideal for investigating metabolic vulnerabilities in NSCLC. Furthermore, researchers investigating resistance mechanisms benefit from NCI-H460's well-documented response patterns to conventional chemotherapeutics like cisplatin and paclitaxel. When combined with other lung cancer cell lines such as A549 cells, comprehensive comparative studies can reveal unique and shared resistance pathways, accelerating the development of strategies to overcome treatment resistance in clinical settings.

Growth Properties

NCI-H460 cells display distinctive growth characteristics that make them particularly well-suited for in vitro experimentation. As an adherent cell line, they readily attach to standard tissue culture surfaces, forming monolayers that facilitate microscopic observation and various experimental manipulations. The cells exhibit an impressive doubling time of approximately 17-19 hours, significantly faster than many other lung cancer cell lines. This rapid proliferation rate enables efficient expansion of cultures and accelerated experimental timelines, making NCI-H460 an excellent choice for high-throughput screening applications. At Cytion, we cultivate these cells using optimized RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, ensuring consistent growth characteristics across passages. While NCI-H460 cells form tightly packed colonies with epithelial-like morphology when cultured at low density, they maintain their rapid growth even at higher confluency, unlike many other NSCLC models that exhibit contact inhibition. Researchers should note that these unique growth properties may influence experimental design, particularly in studies involving cell cycle regulation, proliferation inhibitors, or long-term culture conditions.

Common Mutations

NCI-H460 cells harbor a distinctive genetic profile that contributes to their tumorigenic properties and has significant implications for cancer research. Most notably, these cells carry activating mutations in the PIK3CA gene, which encodes the catalytic subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), resulting in constitutive activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. This mutation is present in approximately 15-20% of NSCLC patients, making NCI-H460 an excellent model for studying PI3K inhibitors. Additionally, the cell line features KRAS mutations (typically at codon 12), driving aberrant MAPK pathway signaling and conferring resistance to certain targeted therapies. Unlike some other lung cancer cell lines such as NCI-H1299 cells, NCI-H460 cells only occasionally exhibit p53 mutations, which allows researchers to investigate p53-dependent therapeutic approaches. This combination of mutations mirrors the genetic complexity observed in clinical NSCLC cases, providing researchers with a valuable platform for testing targeted therapies and understanding resistance mechanisms in a genetically defined context.

Special Features

The NCI-H460 cell line exhibits several distinctive features that enhance its value for NSCLC research beyond standard cell models. Most notably, these cells demonstrate exceptional tumorigenicity in xenograft models, reliably forming aggressive tumors when implanted in immunocompromised mice. This high tumorigenicity makes NCI-H460 cells particularly valuable for in vivo drug efficacy studies and preclinical evaluation of novel therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, the cell line displays remarkable angiogenic potential, secreting elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and other pro-angiogenic factors that promote blood vessel formation in tumor environments. At Cytion, our characterized NCI-H460 cells have been validated for their invasive phenotype, demonstrating robust migration and invasion capabilities in transwell and matrigel assays that mirror the aggressive nature of advanced NSCLC. Unlike many other lung cancer cell lines, NCI-H460 also maintains relatively high genomic stability across passages, ensuring experimental reproducibility in long-term studies. These combined characteristics make NCI-H460 cells an invaluable representative model for aggressive NSCLC, providing researchers with a reliable platform for investigating the biological underpinnings of lung cancer progression and for developing targeted therapeutic strategies.