Chemiluminescence response of human B-cell lines.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed human B lymphoblastoid cells share certain properties with monocytes: they are capable of presenting protein antigens to antigen-specific T-lymphocytes and of releasing an Interleukin 1-like factor. It was our interest to study whether transformed B-cells resemble monocytes by generating toxic oxygen radicals. Human B-cell lines were developed from human peripheral blood lymphocytes by EBV-transformation. The induction of the respiratory burst in the B-cells was assessed by chemiluminescence (CL) in the presence of lucigenin. B-cells were stimulated with phorbol-myristate-acetate (PMA), zymosan particles, the chemotactic peptide f-met-phe, the complement split product C5a and with a recently described granulocyte activating cytokine (GRAM). Stimulation with PMA elicited a distinct CL-response in the tested B-cell lines. The CL-signal was significantly reduced by superoxide dismutase, but not by D-mannitol and catalase. No significant response to any of the other stimuli was detected. Furthermore, none of the stimuli induced a luminol-enhanced CL signal, which, in contrast to lucigenin, is dependent on the presence of peroxidase. Our results indicate that EBV infected B-cells were able to generate significant amounts of reactive oxygen species, particularly superoxide. It appears that virus transformation uncovers genetic information which is usually not expressed in non-transformed B-cells.
Kapp
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A
Department of Dermatology, University of Freiburg, FRG.
Wolff-Vorbeck
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G
Peter
H H
HH
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D010100:Oxygen