Abstract: Purpose: To establish malignant transformed human bronchial epithelial cell(16HBE) model by nickel acetate for exploring deeply molecular mechanism of nickel carcinogenesis. Methods: 16HBE cells were treated twelve times(a time every 20 days) with nickel acetate of different concentration in vitro. The features of malignancy of transformed cells were identified by colony forming frequency on soft agar and test of tumorigenesis in nude mice. Results: The 75 th passage cells treated twelve times with nickel acetate proliferated rapidly and exhibited in an extensively random orientation. Compared with that of negative control cell, colony formation efficiency of transformed cells in semisolid agar showed a significant increase and was dose-dependent. But before the 75 th passage, cells had not the ability of growth in semisolid agar. All the transformed cells could formed tumor subcutaneously in the nude mice. The tumors were a poor differentiated squamous cell carcinoma in morphology confirmed by histopathological examination. Conclusion: Nickel sulfide, nickel chloride and nickel acetate all could induce malignant transformation of 16HBE cells.

Key words: nickel acetate, malignant transformation, 16HBE