PHA-INDUCED SOLUBLE FACTORS(S) CAN ACTIVATE B-CELLS FROM PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC LYMPHATIC-LEUKEMIA

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 37  (3) , 517-522
Abstract
Blood lymphocytes from 8 patients with chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL) were stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA). The effect was defined as a pronounced increase of 3H-thymidine incorporation and a concomitant blast transformation of a large portion of surface Ig[immunoglobulin]-positive, E[sheep erythrocyte]-rosette-forming (E-RFC) negative cells. E-RFC depletion reduced these effects to nearly background levels. Malignant B [bone marrow-derived]-lymphocytes in CLL are capable of responding to a PHA-induced T [thymus-derived] cell factor. A possible use for this factor in characterizing different subpopulations of CLL cells is discussed.