In vitro response of cells from three patients with hairy cell leukemia to a recombinant leukocyte interferon.

Mononuclear cells from the peripheral blood of two patients and from the spleen of one patient, all of whom had hairy cell leukemia, were cultured with a recombinant human leukocyte interferon (RD alpha 2-IFN). The IFN was added at concentrations of 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000 IU/ml, and the cells were cultured for 1, 3, and 7 days. A cytocidal effect of IFN was observed only on cultured cells from the spleen at day 7. Electron-microscopic observations demonstrated that RD alpha 2-IFN induced the formation of tubuloreticular structures (TRSs) and annulate lamellae (ALs) in hairy cells, as well as in co-isolated non-leukemic cells, from all three patients. Ultrastructural examination revealed a close proximity between ALs and TRSs in co-isolated non-leukemic cells. A variability with respect to the induction of TRSs in hairy cells was observed among the three patients. In two of the three patients, the percentage of hairy cells with TRSs increased with the duration of incubation and with the dose of IFN. In the third patient, few hairy cells showed TRSs after 7 days of incubation with IFN. Our findings indicate that leukemic hairy cells may be heterogenous in their response to IFN.