BLaER1 Human B-cell Precursor Leukemia Cell Line

This product is intended for sale and sold solely to academic institutions for internal academic research use per the terms of the “Academic Use Agreement” as detailed in the product documentation. For information regarding any other use, please contact licensing@emdmillipore.com.

Cancer Cells

Induction of differentiation is a therapeutic approach for cancer. Treatment of leukemias with differentiation-inducing factors in combination with pro-apoptotic compounds has been shown to be highly effective . Ectopic expression of the transcription factor C/EBPa causes reprogramming of leukemia cells, resulting in expression of a normal cell phenotype.

The BLaER1 cell line is a tamoxifen-inducible derivative of the RCH-ACV B-cell leukemia cell line genetically modified using a retrovirus vector to express C/EBPa fused with the estrogen receptor hormone binding domain (ER) and GFP . A study demonstrated that BLaER1 cells could efficiently convert into cells exhibiting increased adherent, phagocytic and quiescent properties with a transcriptome resembling normal macrophages . Cells retained their phenotype even when C/EBPa was inactivated, a characteristic of genuine cell reprogramming. C/EBPa induction also impaired cell tumorigenicity after transplantation into immunodeficient mice. BLaER1 is thus a model for highly efficient transdifferentiation of B-cell-derived human cancer cells.

Source:
BLaER1 cells are a single subclone isolated from C/EBPaER-GFP-transfected RCH-ACV acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells sorted for GFP expression. The parental cell line was obtained from the bone marrow of a female with chromosome translocation 1;19 and trisomy 8 .

Biosafety Level 2:
BLaER1 cells contain squirrel monkey retrovirus (SMRV) and should be handled under biosafety level 2.

Store in liquid nitrogen. The cells can be cultured for at least 10 passages after initial thawing without significantly affecting the cell marker expression and functionality.