OBSERVATIONS ON CELL LINES DERIVED FROM A PATIENT WITH HODGKIN DISEASE

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 38  (8) , 2581-2591
Abstract
Permanent cell lines were established from a spleen nodule and lymph node of a male Hodgkin''s disease (HD) patient whose father has the same disease. The in vitro growth pattern morphological and cytogenetic characteristics of these lines maintained continuously for over 2 yr are described. The cultures contain a population of mixed cell types that grow in suspension. Between 5 and 10% of the cells have surface immunoglobulins M and D. B[bone marrow-derived]-cell alloantigens are also detectable. While the cultures are predominantly lymphoid, some of the large cells, by light microscopy and EM, resemble the Reed-Sternberg and Hodgkin''s cells of the original biopsies. Although the cells maintain the human diploid karyotype, they are heterotransplantable in nude mice. After 14 mo. of culture, chromosome rearrangement and losses, commonly seen in leukemic bone marrow, occurred. Close to 100% of the cells are Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen positive, but they lack Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) capsid antigen and EBV-induced early antigen. Nucleic acid hybridization tests indicated that there were no more than 2 EBV genome equivalents/cell. Tests with HD sera free of anti-EBV were negative. EM examination of the cells revealed the presence of intracellular as well as extracellular rare pleomorphic particles ranging from 400-1200 .ANG.. The nature of these particles, which increased in number after the cultures were treated with halogenated pyrimidines but not with dimethyl sulfoxide, remains questionable. The cultures derived from the mouse-passaged HD cells had reverse transcriptase activity and readily identifiable type C particles which were probably of murine origin. These cultures have some unique features that make them useful in studying the perplexing pathological entity of HD.