Loss of chromosome 11p alleles in cultured cells derived from Wilms' tumours.

Cell cultures have been produced from five Wilms' tumours. All cultures had a finite lifespan and a pattern of antigen expression which indicated that the cells were derived from the differentiated components of the tumours. No cells showed any of the expected characteristics of the putative Wilms' tumour stem cell. Nevertheless, in both cases where the original tumours showed a loss of heterozygosity at chromosome 11p alleles, the cultured cells also demonstrated a loss of heterozygosity. Thus these cell cultures definitely originated from Wilms' tumour tissue. The results demonstrate that cell cultures can be produced from the differentiated tissues present in Wilms' tumours and that these non-immortal cells show no 'transformed' phenotype, even though they possess the genetic changes present in the original tumour.