title: Heterogeneity in both cytokine production and responsiveness of a panel of monoclonal human Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B-cell lines.
abstract: To optimize growth and Ig production of in vitro-cultured Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B cells, a panel of six monoclonal EBV B-cell lines was analyzed for autocrine growth factor production and responsiveness to various cytokines. Three cell lines produced Il-I and four produced Il-6, although differences concerning the amount of lymphokines produced were observed. Interestingly a considerable tumor necrosis factor beta (lymphotoxin) activity was found in supernatants of all cell lines. One IgM-producing cell line that did not secrete either Il-1 or Il-6 was exceptional in its ability to respond to the addition of rIl-6 with a 5- to 10-times elevated IgM production. In contrast, cell lines in the panel capable of Il-6 production showed only a minimal elevation of Ig production on addition of exogenous Il-6. Ig production was slightly less in some cell lines when Il-6 was neutralized. Antibodies against lymphotoxin or Il-6 did not influence growth rate of the cell lines significantly, implying that neither Il-6 nor lymphotoxin had an autostimulatory effect on the analyzed cell lines. This study demonstrates a heterogeneity regarding the amount and type of lymphokines produced by long-term monoclonal EBV cell lines, which may account for the diverse responses exhibited by these cells towards exogenously added lymphokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hybridoma and Tissue Culture, Central Laboratory of the Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Amsterdam.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Jochems
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jordens
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pascual-Salcedo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van Boxtel-Oosterhof
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: van Lier
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Zeijlemaker
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D008222:Lymphokines; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha