HCT116 colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT116)

HCT116 is a human colorectal carcinoma cell line widely utilized in biomedical research and drug discovery as a model for colon cancer (ATCC, 2023). Derived from an adult male patient, these cells exhibit an epithelial morphology and are characterized by rapid proliferation and the ability to form tumors in xenograft models (PubMed: 6248960). Genetically, HCT116 is notable for being microsatellite unstable (MSI) due to a deficiency in the MLH1 mismatch repair gene and for harboring oncogenic mutations in KRAS and PIK3CA (NCBI: PMC2824443). In pharmacological contexts, HCT116 proliferation refers to a phenotypic assay used to evaluate the anti-tumor efficacy of small molecules or biologics. Because it represents a complex cellular system rather than a single protein or receptor, it is classified as a biological assay readout rather than a discrete therapeutic target (Nature Communications, 2019).

Other names

HCT-116HCT 116Human colorectal carcinoma cell line HCT116

Compounds tested against HCT116 proliferation typically act by inducing DNA damage, inhibiting DNA synthesis, or disrupting oncogenic signaling pathways such as the MAPK or PI3K/AKT pathways (PubMed: 25639211).