WM1366 Viable Cells

Cells are sterile, validated by short tandem repeat profiling, and are tested as negative for mycoplasma. It is recommended that cell lines are tested for mycoplasma contamination and short tandem repeat (STR) profiling every 10 passages or each time a frozen seed stock is made. See cell culture protocol for additional details. WM1366 is a tumorigenic (VGP) primary melanoma cell line with competence for metastasis. This cell line was established from a right forearm in a 79-year-old male with stage IV superficial spreading melanoma. WM1366 cells produce xenograft tumors when injected into immunocompromised mice. This cell line features a Q61L mutation at position 61 in the N-RAS gene. The Q61L mutation results in an amino acid substitution at position 61 in NRAS, from a glutamine (Q) to a leucine (L). The role of N-RAS mutations for selecting/prioritizing anticancer treatment, including cytotoxic chemotherapy and targeted agents, is unknown at this time. This cell line is wild type for BRAF, PTEN c-KIT, and CDK4.