Characterization of a new human lymphoma cell line (RC-K8) with t(11;14) chromosome abnormality.

A human cell line (RC-K8) that produces plasminogen activator was established from the peritoneal effusion of a patient with histiocytic lymphoma. The RC-K8 cell line grew mainly in single cell suspension and consisted of primitive cells with pleomorphic morphology. RC-K8 cells were positive for alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase, acid phosphatase and periodic acid-Schiff stainings. Immunologic and molecular biological studies showed that RC-K8 cells reacted with monoclonal antibodies to B cell antigens (B1 and Leu12) and Ia antigen (OKIa1) and possessed immunoglobulin gene rearrangement in the absence of surface and cytoplasmic immunoglobulin. Neither Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen nor terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase was detected in the cells. Chromosome analysis of RC-K8 disclosed 46 XY with complex abnormalities including t(11;14)(q23;q32). Intraperitoneal inoculation of RC-K8 cells to immunosuppressed newborn hamsters produced massive metastatic tumors in the lungs. The RC-K8 cell line will be of considerable value for the study of lymphomagenesis associated with t(11;14) and pulmonary metastasis of lymphoma cells.