Establishment and characterization of a new human B‐cell line (ONHL‐1) from non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma: Constant expression of bcl‐2 gene during mitogen‐induced growth inhibition

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Abstract
A new B‐cell line (ONHL‐I) was established from non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. ONHL‐I was free from Epstein‐Barr virus nuclear antigen and expressed CD20, CD24, and slg (μ, δ, γ and κ), thus being equivalent to the mature B‐cell stage. Chromosome analysis revealed a markedly abnormal pattern including 14q+ and 6q‐ In accordance with the positive expression of surface K light chains, one of the K genes was found to be rearranged. However, rearrangement of the À locus was also detected, contrary to the supposed hierarchy for the rearrangement of the light‐chain genes. The cell line showed rearrangement of the bcl‐2 gene. Further, the rearranged fragments of the JH, CA, and bci‐2 genes were of the same size in the EcoRI and HindIII digests on the same filter. This may suggest that the bcl‐2 gene is juxtaposed with the JH and CA locus. The proliferation of ONHL‐I was inhibited by adding Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I or 12‐O‐tetradecanoyl‐phorbol‐13‐acetate. During this growth inhibition, the expression of c‐myc decreased, while that of bcl‐2 mRNA remained steady. This result suggests that not the bcl‐2 gene but other oncogenes, such as c‐myc, play a key role in the proliferation of ONHL‐I. This agrees with the hypothesis that the bcl‐2 gene is not concerned with aggressive proliferation but with cell survival. This new cell line will therefore be of value in studying the differentiation and tumorigenesis of B cells.