Characterization and Radiosensitivity of Fibroblasts Derived from Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Head and Neck, and the Surrounding Oral Mucosa

Abstract

Recently, extensive stromal fibroblast contamination has been reported in the modified Courtenay-Mills soft agar clonogenic assay for cellular in vitro radiosensitivity in tumour biopsies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hypothesis that an immunocytochemical analysis added to the modified Courtenay-Mills soft agar clonogenic assay provides a measure of both fibroblast and tumour cell radiosensitivity. Therefore, fibroblasts derived from squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, and from the surrounding oral mucosa were compared for immunocytochemistry, DNA ploidy, plating efficiency and surviving fraction of cells after a radiation dose of 2 Gy. The results of our study suggest that the stromal fibroblasts derived from tumour biopsies are representative of normal fibroblasts with respect to the characteristics examined using mucosal fibroblasts as normal controls.