Establishment and characterization of two human cutaneous angiosarcoma cell lines, KU-CAS3 and KU-CAS5.

Background: Cutaneous angiosarcoma (CAS) is a rare but fatal cancer. Established CAS cell lines are necessary for the investigation of their properties and treatment options.

Methods: Two cell lines, KU-CAS3 and KU-CAS5, were established from human angiosarcoma specimens obtained from the scalp. Flow cytometric assay, tube formation assay, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake assay, immunofluorescence analysis, real-time PCR, tumorigenesis assay, and STR analysis were conducted.

Results: The cells showed endothelial cell properties, based on the cobblestone appearance upon reaching confluence, CD31 positivity, tube-formation activity, active uptake of acetylated LDL, and vWF expression. The two cell lines expressed relatively high levels of adrenergic β2 receptor, and the VEGF1 and VEGF2 receptors. In the in vivo study, the growing neoplasms, confirmed as CAS, were identified as subcutaneous dark papules. KU-CAS cell lines were considered authentic based on STR profiling.

Conclusions: KU-CAS3 and KU-CAS5 are the first human CAS cell lines having tumorigenic potential in vivo.