Karyotype and ultrastructure of a colony stimulating factor (CSF) producing cell line (5637) originated from a carcinoma of the human urinary bladder.

The cell line 5637 which originated from a human urinary bladder carcinoma is known to produce GM-CSF and Multi-CSF ectopically. Determination of cell surface antigens defined by monoclonal antibodies was recently reported. Here we report on the ultrastructure and karyology of this CSF secreting cell line. At the ultrastructural level the monolayer in vitro culture and the solid tumors formed in nude mice showed all characteristics consistent with a well-differentiated transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). A subclone was found to grow in suspension and did not secrete any CSF activity. High resolution chromosome analysis revealed chromosomal abnormalities which agreed only in few particulars with nonrandom chromosomal aberrations usually found in TCC. Analysis of the cytogenetic results showed that nearly all structural abnormalities present are known to be associated with acute or chronic human leukemia. The possibility that the ectopic production of CSF in this cell line may be correlated to one or more of the described chromosomal aberrations is discussed.