Establishment and characterization of NCC-DFSP5-C1: a novel patient-derived dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans cell line

Hum Cell. 2024 May;37(3):854-864. doi: 10.1007/s13577-024-01030-9. Epub 2024 Feb 19.

Abstract

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is the most prevalent dermal sarcoma, characterized by the presence of the fusion of the collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1) gene with the platelet-derived growth factor beta chain (PDGFB) gene. Although PDGF receptor inhibitor imatinib mesylate was approved for the treating patients with unresectable or metastatic DFSP, disease progression was shown in 9.2% of the patients. Therefore, developing novel therapeutic strategies is crucial for improving the prognosis of DFSP. Patient-derived cell lines play a vital role in preclinical studies; however, only a limited number of DFSP cell lines are currently available in public cell banks. Here, we successfully established a novel DFSP cell line (NCC-DFSP5-C1) using surgically resected tumor tissue from a patient with DFSP. NCC-DFSP5-C1 cells were confirmed to carry the COL1A1-PDGFB translocation and maintain the same mutation as the original tumor tissue. They exhibited consistent growth, formed spheroids, and were invasive. By screening a drug library using NCC-DFSP5-C1 and four previously established DFSP cell lines, we identified anti-cancer drugs that inhibit DFSP cell proliferation. Our observations suggest that the NCC-DFSP5-C1 cell line holds promise as a valuable tool for conducting fundamental and preclinical studies for DFSP.

Keywords: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans; Fusion gene; Patient-derived cancer model; Patient-derived cell line; Sarcoma.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Cell Line
  • Dermatofibrosarcoma* / genetics
  • Dermatofibrosarcoma* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate / pharmacology
  • Imatinib Mesylate / therapeutic use
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis / genetics
  • Skin Neoplasms* / genetics

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Antineoplastic Agents