title: Effects of recombinant interferon-alpha and -gamma on B-CLL cells in serum-free medium: expression of activation, differentiation, and CALLA antigens.
abstract: Chronic B-lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells from 10 patients were cultured serum-free with recombinant interferon (rIFN)-alpha 2, rIFN-gamma, or phorbol ester (TPA) for 5 days. All three agents induced functional differentiation, as evidenced by IgM secretion, without concomitant proliferation. A panel of monoclonal antibodies was used to detect changes in cell surface antigens defining pre-B cells (CALLA), resting B cells (HH1), early (4F2, MHM6) and late (anti-Tac, OKT9) B cell activation, and terminally differentiated B cells (OKT10). The activation markers 4F2, MHM6, and anti-Tac and the plasma cell marker T10 were all significantly induced with TPA, rIFN-alpha 2, an rIFN-gamma, whereas the expression of HH1 decreased. CALLA was detected on substantial proportions of differentiated (4-38%) but not resting (0-4%) B-CLL cells. The CALLA-positive B-CLL cells were negative for nuclear terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). The T9 antigen was expressed on TPA-treated cells (1-16%) only. The present findings indicate novel properties of IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma in inducing terminal differentiation of human monoclonal B cells without prior activation.
mesh_terms: D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D001769:Blood; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D003470:Culture Media; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate