KUSCC-192: A Novel Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Line With Mixed (Episomal and Integrated)-Typed Human Papillomavirus From a Korean Patient With Tonsil Cancer.

Abstract

Human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) generally has a better prognosis, but some cases are aggressive with poor outcomes. This study established KUSCC-192, a de novo HPV+ tonsillar cancer cell line, and evaluated its tumorigenicity. The HPV status in KUSCC-192 was assessed using RT-qPCR, RT-PCR, and FISH. Aggressive characteristics were compared with other HPV+ cell lines and HPV- cell lines. KUSCC-192 exhibited a mixed type with a predominantly diffused FISH pattern and a few dotted signals and lower E2 gene expression. These findings, combined with its aggressive features, suggest that the mixed type may contribute to the poor prognosis observed in 2%-30% of HPV+ HNSCC cases. KUSCC-192 is a valuable model to study aggressive HPV+ cancer behaviors. Further research is needed to explore the clinical significance of mixed-type HPV integration in HNSCC.