SU-DHL-1 Cells

SU-DHL-1 is a human anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) cell line established from the pleural effusion of a child diagnosed with diffuse histiocytic lymphoma. It was one of the first human lymphoma lines established in continuous culture and has been rigorously characterized both phenotypically and genetically. Morphologically, SU-DHL-1 retains features of the primary tumor, including large cytoplasmic vacuoles, which are lipid-containing. Histochemical studies show activity of nonspecific esterase and acid phosphatase. Unlike lymphoblastoid cell lines, SU-DHL-1 is negative for Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) and does not express surface immunoglobulins, further distinguishing it from B-lymphocyte-derived lines.

SU-DHL-1 is a hallmark model for ALK-positive ALCL due to its chromosomal translocation t(2;5)(p23;q35), which leads to the expression of the NPM1-ALK fusion protein. This fusion confers constitutive tyrosine kinase activity and plays a central role in the oncogenesis of ALK+ ALCL. The cell line is part of the LL-100 panel, a curated set of leukemia and lymphoma models for high-throughput molecular profiling. SU-DHL-1 has been extensively used in studies related to oncogenic signaling, targeted therapy development, and transcriptional regulation within ALCL, making it a key tool in the understanding and treatment of this aggressive T-cell lymphoma subtype.