Chemically induced rat B cell leukemia KNL-14, and its major histocompatibility complex products.

Five rat leukemia cell lines induced with chemical agents and/or leukemia viruses were investigated in terms of their surface antigens. One of them, KNL-14, which was induced with 1-butyl-1-nitrosourea in WKA rats had RT1-B region-associated antigens on the cell surface. In addition, Thy-1.1 antigens and surface and cytoplasmic mu chains were detected by serological and immunochemical means. From the results it was concluded that this leukemia originated from immature B cells. In the present work, RT1 antigens on the KNL-14 cells were further investigated. The class I and class II antigens were examined and KNL-14 cells were found to have phenotypical antigens and immunogenicity similar to those of B cells from the WKA lymph nodes. As for class II antigens, which are responsible for various immunologic functions, two specificities were detected, Ba-1.2 and Ba-2.7. These KNL-14 cells should be useful for studying the process of rat B cell differentiation and for immunochemical studies of the rat MHC gene products.