Characterization and functional properties of tumor cell lines in accessory cell replacement assays.

This study reports the initial phenotypic and functional characterization of a series of cloned, murine, myelomonocytic tumors and their parent cell line WEHI-3, and a group of murine B lymphoma tumors. The tumor cell lines of the myelomonocytic lineage demonstrated the ability to reconstitute a macrophage-depleted, primary in vitro anti-SRBC PFC response, but only marginally enhanced an accessory cell-depleted, ova-primed, lymphocyte proliferation in vitro response. The B lymphoma tumors displayed exactly the reverse functional profile, being highly efficient in reconstitution of the proliferation response, but not supporting the SRBC PFC response. Detailed analysis of the cell surface phenotype of the various B lymphoma tumors used in this study show they display cell surface markers characteristic of normal B lymphocytes but are heterogeneous in their various stages of differential arrest. Future work will concentrate on the orchestration of Ia-mediated and soluble factor-mediated (IL 1) modalities of antigen-triggering of lymphocytes by these B lymphoma and myelomonocytic tumor cell lines.