Hep-56.1B Cells

The Hep-70.4 hepatoma cell line is derived from a mouse liver tumor, specifically from the C57BL/6J mouse strain. This cell line is notable for its mutations in the p53 gene, which were identified at different passages during in vitro propagation. At passage number 8, a weak additional signal was detected in the single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis, indicating the presence of a p53 mutation. By passage number 38, two distinct p53 point mutations were identified: a G:C to C:G transversion at codon 135 and a C:G to G:C transversion at codon 138 of exon 5. These mutations led to amino acid changes from alanine to proline and cysteine to tryptophan, respectively.

The Hep-70.4 cell line displays a morphological phenotype that varies significantly during its propagation. Some sublines exhibit an epithelial morphology, while others show a fibroblast-like appearance. This heterogeneity reflects the complex nature of the cell line and its adaptability under different culture conditions. The presence of both normal and mutated p53 alleles in the early passages suggests that the mutations confer a selective growth advantage, leading to the predominance of mutated clones over time.

Intermediate filament protein analysis of the Hep-70.4 cell line revealed the expression of simple keratins K8 and K18, which are typical of normal liver cells, as well as vimentin and keratin K19 to varying degrees. These protein patterns confirm the hepatocytic origin of the cell line and its classification as a hepatoma line. The genomic stability of Hep-70.4 was further assessed through DNA fingerprint analysis, which did not reveal any major structural abnormalities, although changes in the relative intensities of certain bands were observed with increasing passage numbers.