title: PWM-induced generation of immunoglobulin-secreting cells in patients with multiple myeloma.
abstract: The pokeweed-mitogen-induced transformation of B-lymphocytes into immunoglobulin-secreting cells was studied in vitro in 25 patients with multiple myeloma using a reverse hemolytic plaque assay. Fifteen patients showed a good response in generating immunoglobulin-secreting cells, whereas 10 patients showed a decreased B cell reactivity which was not due to intermittent melphalan/steroid therapy administered to 15 patients. Experiments with lymphocyte subpopulations demonstrated that the inability of some multiple-myeloma patients to generate immunoglobulin-secreting cells was always based on a defect in the B-cell subset. Co-culture experiments with lymphocytes from normal individuals and patients revealed a cell-mediated suppression in one case, whereas humoral suppressive factors in the patients' serum could not be observed using the reverse hemolytic plaque assay. Patients were classified into three groups: (a) patients with a normal B-cell function, (b) patients with a reversible, tumor-dependent suppression of B-cell reactivity and (c) patients in whom the normal B-cell population was replaced by non-reactive cells.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology*; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens
chemical_list: D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens