title: Human myeloma cell line (KHM-4) established from a patient with multiple myeloma associated with hyperammonemia.
abstract: A cell line of plasma cells with high ammonia (NH3) production (KHM-4) was established from a patient with multiple myeloma complicated by hyperammonemia and abnormal serum concentrations of amino acids. Surface marker studies of KHM-4 cells showed that the cells were positive for cytoplasmic immunoglobulins (IgA kappa), HLA-DR, and T 10. Secretion of ammonia by the KHM-4 cells was detected by the addition of L-glutamine and L-arginine into the culture medium of amino acid-free RPMI 1640. In the presence of L-glutamine, KHM-4 cells secreted a greater amount of ammonia than the T cell line, CEM. However, production of ammonia by L-arginine was not observed in other cell lines. These observations provide evidence for the existence of a peculiar amino acid metabolism in the myeloma cells causing hyperammonemia and serum amino acid disturbance.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Kumamoto University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takatsuki
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D005973:Glutamine; D000641:Ammonia; D001120:Arginine