Immortalized Human Pancreatic Duct Epithelial Cells (HPDE6c7)

HPDE6c7, also designated HPDE6-E6E7c7 or H6c7, is an immortalized but non‑tumorigenic human pancreatic duct epithelial cell line established from the normal pancreatic duct of a 63‑year‑old female donor. Immortalization was achieved by transduction of a retrovirus vector carrying the E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV‑16) into primary normal human pancreatic duct epithelial (HPDE) cells. Single clones were isolated that retain a near‑normal genotype and phenotype of pancreatic duct epithelium.

The defining advantage of the HPDE6c7 line is its exceptionally close resemblance to normal pancreatic duct epithelium, combined with an indefinite proliferative lifespan. The cells exhibit anchorage‑dependent growth, are non‑tumorigenic in SCID mice, and express definitive ductal lineage markers including carbonic anhydrase II, MUC‑1, and cytokeratins 7, 8, 18 and 19. Importantly, HPDE6c7 cells retain normal genotypes of Ki‑ras, p53, C‑myc, and p16ᴵᴺᴷ⁴ᴬ, with the only identifiable aberration being the loss of functional p53 pathway due to E6‑mediated degradation. This near‑normal status distinguishes HPDE6c7 from pancreatic cancer cell lines, which harbor numerous driver mutations and exhibit aberrant phenotypes.

HPDE6c7 cells are a versatile and physiologically relevant model for the pancreatic ductal epithelium, widely applied in studies of pancreatic duct carcinogenesis, islet cell differentiation, and chemoprevention of pancreatic cancer. They also serve as a genetically stable baseline for stepwise introduction of PDAC‑associated alterations to model multistep pancreatic oncogenesis.