Characterization of a newly established human acinic cell adenocarcinoma cell line (HACC) originating from the salivary gland: Morphological features and role of various growth factors on the growth of the HACC cell line

Abstract

Human acinic cell adenocarcinoma cell (HACC) line was established from the pleural effusion that contains meta‐static tumor cells of acinic cell adenocarcinoma of papillary and microcystic type originating from the parotid gland. The HACC cells grew in an adherent monolayer with a doubling time of 66 h. Implanted tumor of SCID mice revealed similar histologlcal findings to that of the primary tumor. The HACC cells produced mucin and expressed epithelial markers as well as α1‐antitrypsin and lysozyme, whereas salivary peptide P‐C was expressed in cultured HACC cells but not In the primary and Implanted HACC cell tumors. S‐100 protein was also expressed in both the primary tumor and HACC cell line. Neither amplification of common oncogenes nor expression of p53 was observed. The receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGF) was expressed, indicating EGF and transforming growth factor‐α (TGF‐α) enhanced the growth of the HACC line. Unexpectedly, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) also enhanced the growth of the HACC line significantly. However, there was no evidence of autocrine growth using these growth factors. In contrast, TGF‐β1 inhibited the growth of the HACC cell line through apoptosis. The HACC cell line has features similar to both acinar and intercalated ductal cells of the salivary gland. Epidermal growth factor, TGF‐α and TNF‐α are potential growth factors for the HACC cell line. The HACC cell line may be a good model for studying the biological behavior of salivary gland neoplasms.