Biological and Physiological Characterization of HCAM Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line

Abstract

A new liver cancer cell line (HCAM) has been characterized; it is considered as a useful tool in liver cancer research. The HCAM cell line was established from the primary tumor of a white swiss albino male mouse with spontaneous diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma. The current study aimed to physiologically characterize the cells by comparing it to normal liver cells from embryo and adult mice. The eighth passage of HCAM cell line was used in this study. Investigation of liver functions showed high values of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT, LDH, CRP) in HCAM cell line compared with normal liver cells that were taken from healthy mice; these enzymes rates were (52.94, 53.06, 63.63, 390.67, 10.50) U/L respectively (P ≤ 0.05). High values of tumor marker proteins (AFP, CEA, CA19-9) were also found in HCAM cell line compared with normal hepatocytes; the rates were (24.23, 15.26, 15.54) U/L respectively (P ≤ 0.05).