Establishment of a leukemic cell model for studying human pre-B to B cell differentiation

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 142; no. 1; pp. 110 - 117
• Main Authors: Wormann, B, Anderson, JM, Liberty, JA, Gajl-Peczalska, K, Brunning, RD, Silberman, TL, Arthur, DC, LeBien, TW
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Am Assoc Immnol 01.01.1989; American Association of Immunologists
• Subjects: B-Lymphocytes - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - metabolism; B-Lymphocytes - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Factors; Burkitt Lymphoma - genetics; Burkitt Lymphoma - immunology; Burkitt Lymphoma - pathology; Cell Differentiation; Cell Line; Child; Cytokines; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Light Chain; Humans; Immunobiology; Immunological reactions in vitro; Karyotyping; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphoid cell lines. Hybrids; Male; Stem Cells - immunology; Stem Cells - metabolism; Stem Cells - pathology; Tumor Cells, Cultured - immunology; Tumor Cells, Cultured - metabolism; Tumor Cells, Cultured - pathology; Human; Cell culture; Flow cytometry; Cytokine; B-Lymphocyte; Monoclonal antibody; Cell differentiation; Precursor; Characterization; Cell line; Models; Immunofluorescence; Southern blotting; Karyotype; Tumor cell
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.142.1.110

Reproducible models for examining early stages of human B cell differentiation are poorly developed. We now describe the establishment and characterization of a novel human leukemic cell line that recapitulates the pre-B to B cell stage of differentiation. This cell line, designated BLIN-1, was initially established in tissue culture medium containing low m.w. B cell growth factor, and consistently shows a dependency on this cytokine for optimal growth at low density. BLIN-1 cells have a 9p chromosomal abnormality, identical to the abnormality present in the leukemic blasts from the patient's original bone marrow aspirate. The immunologic phenotype of BLIN-1 is consistent with a cell arrested at the pre-B cell stage of development. Analysis of Ig gene rearrangement and Ig expression in a series of BLIN-1 subclones show that the cells spontaneously rearrange kappa light chain genes, leading to the differentiation of surface kappa-negative pre-B cells into surface kappa-positive B cells. The BLIN-1 cell line is, to our knowledge, the first defined human model for examining this critical developmental stage in human B cell ontogeny. As such, it offers a unique resource for examining variables influencing onset of kappa L chain gene rearrangement and expression.