Cellular and Molecular Characteristics of Established Childhood Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Cell Lines

From 1984 to 2013, we established 29 childhood tumor cell lines, including 13 soft-tissue-sarcoma cell lines. Here, we provide an overview of these soft-tissue sarcoma cell lines, their origins, characteristics, and highlight their potential as valuable research tools for fundamental research and development of new treatments. The cell lines were established from three patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), five patients with Ewing sarcoma family tumors, four patients with rhabdoid tumors, and one patient with clear cell sarcoma of soft parts. In particular, we demonstrate the potential of the MRT cell lines in preclinical in vivo and in vitro studies to evaluate molecular target therapy using gefitinib and trastuzumab activated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Moreover, the clear cell sarcoma cell line, MP-CCS-SY, was established from a metastatic tumor in the left Achilles tendon of a 17-year-old girl, which represents a rare cell line for this cancer, and will help to gain a better understanding of the molecular biology of this malignancy and serve as a useful tool for developing boron neutron capture therapy.