Autostimulatory growth factors produced by Sjögren's syndrome B cell lines.
Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, autoantibody formation, and intense tissue infiltration by lymphoid and plasma cells. These patients have a predisposition to the development of monoclonal immunoglobulins and B cell lymphomas. To study the role of B cells in this disease, we established B cell lines from three patients with benign primary SS. These B cell lines grew spontaneously without any stimulation and expressed EBV nuclear antigen. The lines secreted an autostimulatory factor which had properties of a B cell growth factor. Peripheral blood B cells from SS patients, after culture for 3 days, secreted a similar factor which stimulated the proliferation of established SS B cell lines. These results suggest that circulating B cells in SS produce an autocrine growth factor that may contribute to lymphoproliferation and ultimately to the emergence of B cell lymphomas.
Takei
M
M
Clinical Immunology Section, Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, San Antonio, Texas.
Dang
H
H
Dauphinee
M J
MJ
Talal
N
N
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007378:Interleukins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
D003470:Culture Media; D007378:Interleukins; D008222:Lymphokines; D015847:Interleukin-4