Characteristics of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines (Hep‐KANO) Derived from a Non‐hepatitic, Non‐cirrhotic Hepatitis B Virus Carrier

We have established two cell lines of hepatocellular carcinoma [Hep‐KANO, clone 1 (CL‐1) and clone 2 (CL‐2)] from tissue obtained at autopsy of a hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier without histological signs of hepatitis or liver cirrhosis. These cell lines differed considerably from each other in morphology, proliferation pattern, α‐fetoprotein secretion, albumin synthesis, cytokine secretion, modal chromosome number and transplantability to nude mice. Histologic examinations also revealed differences between them. Amplification of N‐myc, L‐myc, H‐ras, K‐ras, N‐ras, c‐erb‐B and c‐erb‐B‐2 and rearrangement of p53 were not found in either of the cell lines. However, CL‐1 and CL‐2 showed an identical HBV‐DNA integration pattern. A 4‐fold amplification of c‐myc was observed in CL‐1, but not in CL‐2. Hep‐KANO cell lines, CL‐1 and CL‐2 may be useful in clarifying the question of whether hepatocarcinogenesis is directly caused by HBV infection.