Establishment and characterization of a new human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line (WSU-BL)

Targeting CD19 in B-cell lymphoma: emerging role of SAR3419

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma symbolizes a heterogeneous group of diseases resulting from malignant transformation of lymphocytes with differing patterns of behavior and responses to treatment. The potential curability of non-Hodgkin lymphoma differs among the various histologic subtypes and is associated in part with the stage at presentation. CD19 antigen is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin Ig superfamily. CD19 is specifically expressed in normal and neoplastic B-cells. Recent study showed that in a mouse model, CD19 and c-Myc synergize functionally to accelerate B-cell lymphomagenesis, which is associated with increased disease severity. Specificity is the most important challenge in cancer therapeutics. Antibody–drug conjugates have the prospect of enhancing the therapeutic efficacy over unconjugated monoclonal antibodies through the selective delivery of cytotoxic agents to cancer cells. The ubiquitous expression of CD19 in these tumors, especially at an earlier stage and the property of efficient internalization, makes CD19 an attractive and affective target for antibody–drug conjugate therapy as compared to CD20. SAR3419 (huB4-DM4) is a novel antibody–drug conjugate that is composed of a humanized monoclonal IgG1 anti-CD19 antibody (huB4) attached to the potent cytotoxic drug, a maytansine derivative (DM4), through a cleavable disulfide cross-linking agent N-Succinimidyl-4-2-pyridyldithio butanoic acid (SPDB). The preclinical efficacy of maytansine derivative–anti-CD19 conjugate was demonstrated in our laboratory, and SAR3419 was found to be more effective than CHOP in a xenograft model. Phase I trials have also been conducted on the basis of preclinical studies that demonstrated promising antitumor activity with acceptable safety results in human B-cell lymphoma models. Additional trials are ongoing and will provide additional insight into the full potential of this novel drug.

Differential effects of bryostatin 1 on human non-Hodgkin's B-lymphoma cell lines

Bryostatin 1 (Bryo1), a macrocyclic lactone and a protein kinase C activator, is extracted and purified from the marine bryozoan Bugula neritina. In this study we describe its effect on morphology, surface immunophenotype, acid phosphatase (AcP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), proliferation and cell cycle of non-Hodgkin's B-lymphoma cell lines representing four differentiation stages. Except for the WSU-BL, a high-grade SCNCL, all other cell lines showed obvious changes in their morphology when treated with 200 nM Bryo1. Phenotypically, a dramatic decrease of CD10 and induction of CD11c and BL7 on some cell lines consistent with further B-cell differentiation was seen. The lines in control cultures showed variable expression of AcP and TRAP. Following treatment with Bryo1, there was a general increase in AcP expression except in WSU-BL line. WSU-FSCCL and WSU-DLCL were TRAP-negative but became TRAP-positive when treated with Bryo1. Cell growth and cycle analysis during treatment of different cell lines revealed evidence of strong, moderate, or no growth inhibition by Bryo1 compared with control cultures. Our results indicate that Bryo1 shows differentiation effects on low-grade FSCCL, intermediate-grade FLCL and high-grade DLCL, and stimulatory or no effect on high-grade SCNCL. Since Bryo1 does not have tumor-promoting activity, it has a potential therapeutic role as a B-cell differentiating agent.

A human B-cell lymphoma line with a de novo multidrug resistance phenotype

A human diffuse large cell lymphoma line (WSU-DLCL) expressing multidrug resistance (MDR) was established from a patient with primary chemotherapy-resistant disease. This cell line has the same phenotypic features as malignant cells from the patient. The established cell line has features of a mature B-cell neoplasm with no evidence for commitment to other lineages. WSU-DLCL grows in suspension forming relatively large clumps of cells with a doubling time of 20 hours. By light microscopic examination, the cells are very large with primitive lymphoid features, have a large amount of cytoplasm containing numerous vacuoles and an irregular outline. Immunophenotypic characterization by monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometric analysis showed a monoclonal IgM kappa B-cell phenotype with high expression of the multidrug-resistant P-glycoprotein compared with either normal peripheral blood lymphocytes or cells of the REH cell line. The cells were negative for T-cell and myeloid/monocyte antigens as well as Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA). In addition, the cell line expressed high levels of MDR RNA. DNA histogram generated by flow cytometry indicated a DNA index of 1.83. Cytogenetic analysis confirmed hypertriploidy and showed complex chromosomal abnormalities including 14q+. This cell line should be a valuable tool to study the role of the MDR gene in the primary resistance of lymphomas to chemotherapy and to facilitate therapeutic investigations.

Characterization of a newly established human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line, OMA-BL-1

Using culture techniques, we have been able to grow occult tumor cells from the bone marrow from cancer patients and have developed a new malignant lymphoid cell line, OMA-BL-1, from the bone marrow of a 17-year-old patient with recurrent Burkitt's lymphoma. The tumor cells grew rapidly in vitro in suspension culture, and very aggressively in vivo in athymic nude mice with metastases to the liver and abdominal cavity. The morphological, chromosomal, immunophenotypic and molecular biologic characteristics of fresh uncultured tumor cells from the patient and tumor cells grown in culture and in athymic nude mice were very similar. The cells were positive for Epstein-Barr virus-associated nuclear antigens (EBNA) and chromosome analysis of the cells revealed an atypical chromosomal abnormality of 45,X,-X,i(8q), HSR(18)(q21),t(8;14)(q24;q32). Southern analysis demonstrated that c-myc was rearranged and amplified in these cells. Immunophenotypic analysis of the cells using flow cytometry showed monoclonal B cells expressing a surface IgG-kappa isotype. The tumor cells grown in nude mice had a significant decrease in CD24 expression when compared to cultured tumor cells. Electron microscopy of the fresh and cultured cells revealed Herpes virus, most likely Epstein-Barr virus, particles. This cell line has been maintained in culture for over 18 months. The aggressive growth and metastatic properties of this cell line in athymic nude mice make it a potentially useful experimental model to study the biology of human lymphoma.