Human plasma accelerates immortalization of B lymphocytes by Epstein-Barr virus.
OBJECTIVE
Serum and plasma contain species-specific factors that modulate cell population growth and function, and that are required for proliferation of most cell cultures. Foetal calf serum (FCS) is the most common source of these growth factors. We studied the effect of human plasma (HP) on the immortalization process of B lymphocytes by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was studied.


METHODS
The effect of HP as compared to FCS was done through assessment of cell proliferation.


RESULTS
It was found that HP (autologous and non-autologous plasma) is more effective than FCS in generating lymphoblastoid cell lines, regardless of EBV status of the donors: 65% of HP-supplemented cultures developed into lymphoblastoid cell lines by 7-14 culture days, as compared to 16% of cultures with FCS. In addition, 6% of HP-supplemented cultures did not achieve becoming lymphoblastoid cell lines by day 35 in comparison to 94% of cultures with FCS. The higher proliferative effect of HP was not altered by heat inactivation or filtration. HP maintained its proliferative activity at 4 degrees C over 8 months, thus indicating that HP contains a stable growth factor(s), which accelerates B-lymphocyte immortalization.


CONCLUSIONS
The results support other studies that recommend the use of autologous plasma for tissue culture, mainly in the case of autologous transplantation. Furthermore, the use of HP allows preparation of lymphoblastoid cell lines from a small amount of peripheral blood in a shorter period of time and with a higher rate of success.
Manor
E
E
Genetics Laboratories, Institute of Genetics, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. manore@bgu.ac.il
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D002417:Cattle; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors
D003470:Culture Media