SNU-81 Cells

The SNU-81 cell line is a human colorectal carcinoma model established from a Korean patient. It is part of a collection of 12 colorectal cancer cell lines derived from both primary tumors and metastatic sites, providing a diverse representation of tumor biology. SNU-81 was derived from a primary colorectal adenocarcinoma and exhibits epithelial morphology with adherent growth in culture. The cell line expresses carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), which is secreted into the culture supernatant, reflecting typical colorectal tumor characteristics.

At the molecular level, SNU-81 has undergone extensive genetic characterization. It harbors a mutation in the TP53 tumor suppressor gene, a common event in colorectal carcinogenesis, typically associated with later stages of tumor progression. Additionally, mutations in the APC gene were identified, implicating disruption of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, a hallmark of colorectal cancer development. No activating mutations were detected in the K-ras2 gene for this line. Alterations in cell cycle regulators, such as hypermethylation of the p16 gene, were also observed, further supporting the cell line’s utility in studying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms driving colorectal cancer. Overall, SNU-81 serves as a well-defined in vitro model for exploring tumor suppressor gene function, oncogenic pathway regulation, and response to targeted therapies in colorectal cancer research.