ECACC in research: Whole Genome Sequencing confirms ECACC oesophageal cancer cell lines retain typical mutations of the disease

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Each year in the UK around 8,750 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer: a type of cancer affecting the oesophagus (gullet).  Mainly affecting people in their 60s and 70s, it is the 13^th most common form of cancer. It affects more men than women and has become more prevalent in the last 40 years. 

It is important that researchers have relevant tools to better understand the disease and to develop treatments and cures. Cell cultures (or “cell lines”) developed from cancerous tissues offer huge potential as laboratory based models of the disease; however, it is vitally important that these models are valid and have been characterised as fit for purpose.

A team of scientists from Cambridge University (Contino et al 2016) have recently conducted Whole Genome Sequencing of many of the available oesophageal cancer cell lines and their findings confirm that most of the mutations that have been reported to drive the disease can be found in the cell lines available from ECACC.

ECACC Oesophageal Cancer Cell Lines Sequenced by Contino et al:

Note: For more information on each cell line click the links in the table above. All lines are available online in frozen, DNA and RNA formats.

Along with the information specific to known mutations in oesophageal cancer, the whole genome sequencing data the team has compiled will aid researchers in future laboratory studies with these cells.

References

Contino, Gianmarco, Matthew D Eldridge, Maria Secrier, Lawrence Bower, Rachael Fels Elliott, Jamie Weaver, Andy G Lynch, Paul A W Edwards, and Rebecca C Fitzgerald. "Whole-genome Sequencing of Nine Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines." F1000Research 5 (2016): 1336

December 2016