Human lymphoid cell lines and glucocorticoids: I. Characterization and cytolethal responses of lymphoblastoid, leukaemia and lymphoma lines.

Using various genotypic and phenotypic markers 20 human lymphoid cell lines have been classified as lymphoblastoid, leukaemia or lymphoma subtypes. Each cell line type exhibited characteristic morphological and behavioural properties in suspension culture. Whilst most lymphoblastoid and lymphoma cell lines manifested B-cell phenotypes and contained Epstein Barr virus (EBV) genome, leukaemia lines demonstrated T-cell markers and lacked EBV genome. Individual cell lines demonstrated unique isoenzyme profiles for the seven polymorphic enzymes studied without subtype specificity. None of the cell lines studied was entirely homogeneous although lymphoblastoid lines contained only a minor subpopulation of other cell line types. The mixed population of cells indicate the need for caution in the use of these cell lines as in vitro models of lymphoid cancer and suggests further refinement of classification methods is required. Incubation of different cell line types with prednisolone for 48-168 h revealed most were highly resistant to cytolethal and cytostatic effects of glucocorticoids in vitro. Suprapharmacological doses of steroid (10(-3) M) were required in most instances before significant cytolethal responses occurred. Only one lymphoblastoid, one lymphoma and two leukaemia lines responded to pharmacological doses (10(-5)-10(-6) M) of prednisolone.