Induction of proliferation and blast transformation by interferon in human
malignant and non-malignant lymph node B cells
L Ostlund, P Biberfeld, KH Robert, B Christensson and S Einhorn
Department of Pathology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
The influence of interferon (IFN) on cellular proliferation, blast
transformation, and differentiation was studied in lymph node cells from 17
patients with B-cell lymphomas, one patient with T-cell lymphoma, and eight
patients with enlarged, non-malignant lymph nodes. The effects of IFN on
lymph node cells were compared with effects on mononuclear blood cells from
chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients and healthy donors. Natural
IFN-alpha (nIFN-alpha) induced a proliferative response in cells from seven
of 17 of the B-cell lymphomas, in two of eight of the non-malignant lymph
nodes, and in lymphoid blood cells from two of 32 CLL patients. With few
exceptions, the proliferating cells were B cells and the data suggest that
IFN acts directly on the B cells. Proliferation was not induced with IFN in
cells from the T-cell lymphoma or in mononuclear blood cells from 13
healthy donors. nIFN-alpha induced blast transformation in cells from ten
of 14 of the B-cell lymphomas and in four of seven of the non- malignant
lymph nodes. Also beta- and gamma-IFN were shown to induce proliferation
and blast transformation in lymph node cells from some patients. No major
effect on the expression of various differentiation markers could be
observed following culture in the presence of nIFN- alpha. We conclude that
IFNs can induce proliferation and blast transformation in malignant and
non-malignant B cells from lymph nodes.
Volume 73,
Issue 8,
pp. 2171-2181,
06/01/1989
Copyright © 1989 by The American Society of Hematology
