CHIC cells: a novel ALK+ cell line derived from a relapsed anaplastic large cell lymphoma

Since the initial description of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) as a proliferation of large CD30+ lymphoid cells, the morphological spectrum of ALCL positive for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALCL, ALK+) has expanded, and beyond the common pattern most frequently encountered, several variants have been identified, including the lymphohistiocytic
and the small cell patterns (Swerdlow et al, 2008). Only ten ALK+ ALCL cell lines are currently available, and most were derived from tumours demonstrating the common type morphology (Drexler & MacLeod, 2004). We have established a novel cell line (CHIC) from the cerebrospinal fluid of a 32-year-old man with relapsing/refractory ALK+ ALCL with a t(2;5)(p23;q35) translocation whose initial tumour exhibited lymphohistiocytic features. This cell line is now made available to the scientific community. In addition to multiple in vitro applications, the tumourigenic capacity of these cells represents a useful property for in vivo drug testing.