Isolation and characterization of a new naturally immortalized human breast carcinoma cell line, KAIMRC1.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer and a leading cause of death in women. Up to date the most commonly used breast cancer cell lines are originating from Caucasians or Afro-Americans but rarely cells are being derived from other ethnic groups. Here we describe for the first time the establishment of a naturally transformed breast cancer cell line, KAIMRC1 from an Arab woman of age 62 suffering from stage IIB breast cancer (T2N1M0). Moreover, we have characterized these cells for the biological and molecular markers, induction of MAPK pathways as well as its response to different commercially available drugs and compounds. METHODS: Breast cancer tissue sections were minced and cultured in media for several weeks. KAIMRC1 cells were successfully isolated from one of the primary breast tumor tissue cultures without any enzymatic digestion. To study the growth characteristics of the cells, wound healing assay, clonogenic assay, cell proliferation assays and live cell time-lapse microscopy was performed. Karyotyping, Immunophenotyping and molecular pathway specific compound treatment was also performed. A selective breast cancer gene expression panel was used to identify genes involved in the signal transduction dysregulation and malfunction of normal biological processes during breast carcinogenesis. RESULTS: These cells are ER/PR-positive and HER2-negative. The epithelial nature of these cells was confirmed by flow cytometry analysis using epithelial cell markers. They are cuboidal in shape and relatively smaller in size as compared to established cell lines, MCF-7, MDA MB-231 and the normal breast cell line, MCF-10A. In normal cell culture conditions these cells showed the capability of growing both in monolayer as well as in 3-D conformation. They showed a doubling time in vitro of approximately 24 h. They exhibit a modal karyotype of 58-63,X with abnormalities in a couple of chromosomes. KAIMRC1 cells were found to be more responsive to drug treatment in vitro in comparison to the established MDA MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion we have isolated and characterized a new naturally immortalized breast cell line, KAIMRC1 with a potential to play a key role in opening up novel avenues towards the understanding of breast carcinoma.

Breast cancer in women younger than 30 years: prevalence rate and imaging findings in a symptomatic population.

INTRODUCTION: To identify the prevalence rate of primary breast cancer in women younger than 30 years of age in a symptomatic population in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To analyze the imaging pattern and possible risk factors in cases with cancer. Breast cancer in this age group is generally rare and not clearly understood. METHODS: At King Abdulaziz Medical City for National Guard, Riyadh, a retrospective 5-year (January 2006 to December 2010) data was collected from the Medical Imaging departmental records on breast imaging. Patients younger than 30 years of age were identified including those with breast cancer. The clinical presentation, risk factors, imaging findings and final outcomes were analyzed in a descriptive way. The total number of patients diagnosed with primary breast cancer was recorded. RESULTS: Seventeen out of a total of 4873 patients younger than 30 years examined had primary breast cancer constituting a rate of 3.5 per 1000 symptomatic patients. The age range was 17 to 29 with mean of 27. The total number of patients with primary breast cancer diagnosed during that period was 413 making a percentage of 4.1% (17 out of 413) in those younger than 30 years. First presentation with a palpable mass and imaging findings of unequivocal category 5 of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) occurred in all. Eight patients had stage I and II while nine had stage III and IV cancers. Only 2 of the 17 had first-degree family history. The youngest was 17 years old. CONCLUSION: A prevalence rate of 3.5 per 1000 primary cancer occurred in the symptomatic population studied and 4 in every 100 primary cancer diagnosed in the unit occurred in women younger than 30 years. First presentation, low family trait and typical imaging features of malignancy was found in all cases.