In vitro transformation by Epstein-Barr virus induces a switch in growth factor and anti-IgM responsiveness in a human leukemic B cell clone.

By in vitro transformation with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), we have previously established EBV+ lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) from a patient with leukemic centrocytic B cell lymphoma. EBV-transformed LCL and EBV genome-negative leukemic B cells showed identical chromosome aberrations and IgH gene rearrangements. In the present study we have analyzed the effect of exogenous cytokines [interleukin (IL) 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, tumor necrosis factor, lymphotoxin, transforming growth factor beta, (TGF-beta)] and anti-IgM antibodies on the in vitro proliferation of EBV- leukemic B cells and EBV-converted LCL. In contrast to conventional chronic lymphocytic leukemia, B cells of the patient DUL spontaneously proliferated for up to two weeks in the absence of exogenous lymphokines. The spontaneous proliferative capacity of clonal DUL B cells was not modulated by IL 1, IL 3, IL 6, TNF or LT. In vitro growth of DUL B cells was increased, however, by exogenous recombinant (r)IL 2, and was abrogated by TGF-beta, rIL 4 and anti-IgM. rIL 4 not only inhibited spontaneous B cell proliferation but also neutralized the enhancing effect of rIL 2. In contrast, growth of the EBV-transformed DUL LCL was not affected by any of these factors. These data demonstrate that in vitro infection and transformation of a clonal B cell population by EBV induces a switch in responsiveness to rIL 4, TGF-beta and anti-IgM. In addition, this report is the first to demonstrate an inhibitory effect of rIL 4 on a spontaneously proliferating human leukemic B cell clone.