Nuclear matrix of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in culture.

Nuclear matrix is a scaffold-like structure of the nucleus after sequential treatments with detergents, DNase, and high salt buffers. Its involvement in various cellular activities has been emphasised in various studies. In this study, nuclear matrix of two human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell Lines were compared and analysed in terms of their morphological appearance and electrophoretic patterns of proteins. The stability of nuclear matrices against enzymatic digestion was found to be similar in these two cell lines. However, cell line specific nuclear matrix proteins were detected in each cell line. The significance of these proteins in cellular function and oncogenesis will be investigated in due course.