In vitro induction of chronic myeloid leukemia associated immune reactivity in normal human lymphocytes by xenogeneic immune RNA.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal human donors were treated with immune RNA (IRNA) prepared from lymphoid tissues of guinea pigs immunized with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells, normal leukocytes (WBCs) and normal bone marrow (BM) cells, in order to study whether IRNA can confer specific immunoreactivity on normal lymphocytes. The IRNA treated lymphocytes were further exposed to solubilized membrane antigens from CML cells, normal WBCs and BM cells in a criss-cross fashion. The migration inhibition factor produced by these lymphocytes was tested in an in vitro leukocyte migration inhibition assay using normal leukocytes. The results indicated that IRNA prepared from guinea pigs immunized with all the three cell types could transfer the immune reactivity to normal cells in response to the respective antigens. The WBC IRNA incubated lymphocytes did not react with BM cell and CML cell antigens. A potent transfer of specific reactivity was shown by CML IRNA. IRNA produced against BM cells and CML cells demonstrated considerable cross reactivity perhaps due to shared immature cell antigens.