title: Leukaemic B cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia suppress immunoglobulin production by lymphocytes from normal donors.
abstract: We observed that highly purified E-rosette-negative largely leukaemic B cells from 9 out of 15 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) significantly suppressed immunoglobulin production by mixtures of T4 and B cells from normal donors in the presence of pokeweed mitogen (PWM). This suppression by leukaemic B cells was concentration-dependent. Addition of equal numbers of B cells from normal donors to the mixtures of normal T4 and B cells increased, or had no effect on the production of IgM, IgA, and IgG. Treatment of purified largely leukaemic B cells from patients with CLL with either the anti-B1 or anti-Leu 1 monoclonal antibody plus complement abolished their ability to suppress immunoglobulin production. In contrast, treatment with either the anti-Leu 5 or the OKM1 monoclonal antibody plus complement had no effect on the suppression. These results suggest that leukaemic B cells from certain patients with CLL may exhibit, or can be induced to exhibit, immunosuppressive properties.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kunicka
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Platsoucas
mesh_terms: D000361:Agammaglobulinemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D001782:Blood Donors; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D007136:Immunoglobulins