Human lymphoid cell lines and glucocorticoids: I. Characterization and cytolethal responses of lymphoblastoid, leukaemia and lymphoma lines
Burrow, H.M.; Bird, C.C.; Warren, J.V.; Steel, C.M.; Barrett, I.D.; Panesar, N.S.
Diagnostic Histopathology 4(2): 175-188
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0272-7749 PMID: 6973456 Document Number: 172855
Using various genotypic and phenotypic markers 20 human lymphoid cell lines were classified as lymphoblastoid, leukemia or lymphoma subtypes. Each cell line type exhibited characteristic morphological and behavioral properties in suspension culture. While most lymphoblastoid and lymphoma cell lines manifested B-cell phenotypes and contained Epstein Barr virus (EBV) genome, leukemia lines demonstrated T-cell markers and lacked EBV genome. Individual cell lines demonstrated unique isoenzyme profiles for the 7 polymorphic enzymes studied without subtype specificity. None of the cell lines studied was entirely homogeneous although lymphoblastoid lines contained only a minor subpopulation of other cell line types. The mixed population of cells indicate the need for caution in the use of these cell lines as in vitro models of lymphoid cancer and suggests further refinement of classification methods is required. Incubation of different cell line types with prednisolone for 48-168 h revealed most were highly resistant to cytolethal and cytostatic effects of glucocorticoids in vitro. Suprapharmacological doses of steroid (10-3M) were required in most instances before significant cytolethal responses occurred. Only 1 lymphoblastoid, 1 lymphoma and 2 leukemia lines responded to pharmacological doses (10-5-10-6 M) of prednisolone.