Lymphoblastoid cell-induced suppression of human peripheral blood leukocyte mitogenic responses.

Two lymphoblastoid tumor cell lines, the Burkitt lymphoma derived BJAB cell line which is free of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and B95-8 cells, which are marmoset lymphocytes transformed by EBV isolated from an infectious mononucleosis patient, were studied in regards to their effects on the blastogenic responsiveness of normal human peripheral blood leukocytes stimulated in vitro with mitogens. Mitomycin C treated tumor cell suspensions, when cocultured with normal human blood leukocytes, markedly depressed the expected blastogenic responses in vitro to concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, and phytohemagglutin. In addition, cell-free sonicates from the cell lines also depressed blastogenic responsiveness of the leukocytes in vitro. Heating the sonicates for 10 min at 100 degrees C markedly diminished the suppressive properties of the sonicates, as did ultraviolet light irradiation. The suppressive activity of the B95-8 sonicates was pelleted by high speed centrifugation as compared to the activity of sonicates derived from the BJAB cells. Further studies are warranted to determine the nature and mechanism of suppression of blastogenic responsiveness of normal human leukocytes by soluble components derived from such lymphoblastoid cell lines.