# Molecular characterisation of human penile carcinoma and generation of paired epithelial primary cell lines

## TL;DR

Researchers created and analyzed cell lines from penile cancer and normal tissue to better understand the disease and test treatments.

## Contribution

The generation and characterization of paired normal and cancerous penile cell lines using clonal expansion techniques.

## Key findings

- Genomic gains and losses were consistently observed in both tumor cell lines.
- Differentially expressed genes were linked to immune responses and specific protein expression changes.
- The cell lines offer a valuable in vitro model for studying penile carcinoma.

## Abstract

Penile carcinoma is a rare malignancy in developed countries but is more common in South America and East Africa. The small number of cases means there are limited resources to investigate disease pathogenesis. This report describes a method of generating primary cell lines from freshly isolated human penile tissue using a clonal expansion approach on mitotically inactivated fibroblasts. Matched normal and penile cancer cell lines from two patients were generated and characterised. Molecular karyotyping and targeted sequencing were performed to compare their genomic landscape. Gains in 8q13.3, 10q23.2, 10q25.1, 10q26.13,12p13.33, 20q13.33, Xq21.1 or losses in Yq11.23 were consistent in both tumour cell lines. Gains in 8q13.3 and Xq21.1 cytobands positively correlated with changes in the expression of nearby genes. The top 20 differentially expressed genes are involved in immune responses like interferon alpha/beta signalling. Additionally, there was an increase in integrin β1, transglutaminase 1, keratins 5, 10, 14 and 16, and a decrease in involucrin protein expression. The cell lines described in this study can provide an invaluable platform for new insights and testing of therapies for penile carcinoma.

Generation of two normal and tumour (cancerous) paired human cell lines using an established tissue culture technique and their characterisation is described. Cell lines were characterised at cellular, protein, chromosome and gene expression levels and for HPV status. These cell line may serve as useful in vitro tool for the investigations of penile cancer, a rare and neglected disease.