Monoclonal human B lymphoma cells respond to DNA synthesis to anti-immunoglobulins in the presence of the tumour promotor TPA.

Monoclonal human B lymphoma cells were triggered in vitro to DNA synthesis with F(ab')2 fragments of rabbit IgG antibodies specific for different human immunoglobulin (Ig) light and heavy chains. The specificity of the responses corresponded to surface Ig (sIg) present on tumour cells. Anti-mu chain, anti-delta chain, and antibodies to light chains were found to mediate this effect. However, to induce DNA synthesis, the tumour promotor 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was usually required. TPA alone induced cytoplasmic protrusions and increases in cellular volume. These observations should provide new opportunities to study the triggering of B cells with anti-Ig in well-defined cell populations.