A Panel of Cultures of Cancer and Normal Lung Cells with a Characterized Expression of PD-L1 to Search and Development of the Target Modifiers of Immunotherapy

Background. The search for effective combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors with common cytostatics, targeted cancer drugs and other treatments is a modern trend to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy.

Purpose. Development of a panel of lung cancer cell cultures and cells of normal lung tissue with a characterized molecular phenotype by expression of one of the targets of immunotherapy — programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1).

Methods. PD-L1 expression was quantitatively analyzed by immunofluorescence method associated with flow cytometry.

Results. A panel of lung cancer cell cultures of different histotypes and cells of normal lung tissue with characterized molecular phenotype was formed according to the expression of the immunotherapy target PD-L1. In terms of PD-L1 expression intensity, cell cultures can be arranged in a series: Calu-1  HFL-1  Calu-6  Wi-26  A-549  H-596  H-211, with a 7-fold difference in the index between Calu-1 and H-211.

Conclusion. The panel of cultures of cancer and normal lung cells is recommended for the search and development of effective modifiers of the immunotherapy target PD-L1.

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