Epstein-Barr virus-associated post-transplant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: establishment and characterization of a new cell line.

A new human lymphoma cell line derived from pulmonary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that developed in a renal transplant recipient was established from the patient's pleural effusion and designated PTLC-1. PTLC-1 grew aggressively in suspension, forming very loose clumps with a doubling time of about 18.9 h. The morphological, chromosomal, and immunophenotypic characteristics of the patient's tumor cells and PTLC-1 cells were very similar. PTLC-1 showed a monoclonal rearrangement of IgH gene and was highly tumorigenic in athymic nude mice. In situ hybridization, Southern blot hybridization and polymerase chain reaction demonstrated the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome in the patient's tumor and PTLC-1. PTLC-1 has been maintained in culture for over 60 months. Since EBV has been implicated in the pathogenesis of post-transplant lymphoma, this new cell line should serve as a useful experimental model for studying the etiology and biology of lymphoma developing in organ transplant recipients.