Establishment and characterization of human B-lymphocytic lymphoma cell lines (BALM-3, -4 and -5); intraclonal variation in the B-cell differentiation stage.

This study describes the establishment of three non-Burkitt B-lymphoma cell lines (BALM-3, BALM-4 and BALM-5) originating from the pleural effusion of a patient with a poorly differentiated diffuse lymphocytic lymphoma. The cells of BALM-3, -4 and -5 exhibited a number of properties which distinguish them from the usual B-cell type lymphoblastoid cell lines. Thus, they lacked the Epstein-Barr virus genome and had abnormal chromosome constitutions including a 14q+ marker. The presence of the identical surface immunoglobulin isotypes (gamma and chi chain determinants), and Ia-like B-cell-associated antigen in the cultured cells and in the "fresh" lymphoma cells in vivo was demonstrated. These findings strongly suggested that these cell lines have B-cell characteristics and were derived from the original tumor cell population. BALM-5 cells, however, showed somewhat different growth, cell surface marker profile and functional characteristics compared to those of BALM-3, and -4 cells. These variations suggest that the BALM-5 cells were probably at different stages of B-cell maturation than those of BALM-3 and -4, even though all three cell lines (established in three separate flasks) originated from the cells of the same pleural effusion of a lymphoma with monoclonal B-cell characteristics.