acid-phosphatase and Leukemia--Prolymphocytic

We investigated the effects of stromal cells, obtained from lymph nodes with various lymphoid disorders and characterized immunocytochemically as fibroblasts, on the maturation of a cell line "HN" established from an atypical PLL (prolymphocytic leukemia) having phenotypic characteristics of both CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia) and HCL (hairy cell leukemia). Coculture with stromal cells, irrespective of the kind of lymphoid disease affecting the lymph node, induced a plasmacytoid cytology in HN cells, an increase of cIg gamma, and decreases of sIg gamma, CD5, CD21, HC2, and B-ly7. In contrast, coculture with the stromal cells produced no marked effects on hairy cells from two HCL patients. Similarly, coculture with stromal cell supernatant or with various cytokines shown to be produced by bone marrow stromal cells produced no effects on HN cells. We propose that lymph node stromal cells play an important role in the differentiation of B cells through direct contact and that HN cells will be useful for investigating the differentiation pathway of chronic B cell leukemia cells.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Antigens, CD; B-Lymphocytes; Blood Coagulation Factors; Cell Differentiation; Cells, Cultured; Cytokines; Humans; Leukemia, Hairy Cell; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell; Leukemia, Prolymphocytic; Lymph Nodes; Lymphatic Diseases; Phenotype; Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; Stromal Cells; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Antigens, CD; CD11 Antigens; CD5 Antigens; Humans; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell; Leukemia, Prolymphocytic; Tartrates

Cells from 3 patients with B-chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) and 1 with B-prolymphocytic leukaemia (B-PLL) were treated in vitro with the phorbol ester 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol (TPA), the calcium ionophore A23187, or a combination of TPA and A23187. TPA induced the cells to adhere to the culture flask or to clump in dense clusters; single cells became enlarged, often with cytoplasmic elongations. Cells treated with TPA plus A23187 acquired a plasmacytoid morphology and formed regular aggregates in culture. Only TPA alone induced the expression of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) as documented by isoelectric focusing on horizontal thin-layer gels. The TRAP isoenzyme was first detected after 24 h of TPA treatment; its intensity increased during further TPA exposure, being maximally expressed at 72/96 h. The results suggest that, while TPA triggers B-CLL cells to convert to hairy cell leukaemia (HCL)-type cells, the double stimulus which more closely imitates physiological activation initiates a 'normal' differentiation programme which leads to plasma cells.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Aged; B-Lymphocytes; Calcimycin; Drug Synergism; Female; Humans; Isoenzymes; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell; Leukemia, Prolymphocytic; Male; Middle Aged; Tartrates; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate