Establishment of a novel human papillomavirus-negative and radiosensitive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell line

Background The purpose of this study was to develop a CMCSCC-1 cell line for head and neck cancer research into new therapies for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods The CMCSCC-1 cell line was isolated from a primary oral tongue tumor specimen of a female patient. Tumor cells were evaluated for biomarkers expression by Western blots, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), fluorescence activated cell sorter, and immunostaining. Cell proliferation in response to radiation was measured by the WST-8 assay. Results The characterization analyses revealed a typical epithelial morphology; a doubling time of approximately 24 hours, high tumorigenicity in immunodeficient mice, and upregulated biomarkers. CMCSCC-1 cells were negative for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, but more sensitive to radiation compared with those FaDu cell lines. Conclusion CMCSCC-1, a novel oral tongue SCC cell line, was established. It will help in the elucidation of the molecular pathogenesis of HPV-negative radiosensitive tumors.