The establishment of a human myeloma cell line elaborating lambda-light chain protein.

A human myeloma cell line (KMM-56) producing lambda-light chain protein was established in vitro by cultivation of the cells in the pleural effusion obtained from a patient with IgD-lambda-myeloma. The cells proliferate in suspension and do not aggregate or attach to the culture dish. Surface marker analysis revealed that the cells were negative for E-rosette, and surface immunoglobulin. Immunoelectrophoresis, immunodiffusion, and immunofluorescence with various antibodies demonstrated no heavy chains, while lambda-light chains were detected in the cytoplasm of the cells. Using the immunodiffusion technique, only lambda-light chains were detected in the frozen and thawed cell extract, the concentrated supernatant of the cell culture, and the urine of the patient. Electron microscopic examination revealed the plasmablastoid appearance of the cells. This cell line may be useful for future studies of human immunoglobulin genes and for the material of human-human hybridoma, which could produce monoclonal human immunoglobulin.