ESTABLISHMENT OF CELL-LINES DERIVED FROM CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIC-CELLS BY TRANSFECTION WITH MYC AND RAS

Seventy-one samples from 37 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CL L) were transfected with human c-myc and/or N-ras. In only three cases did the CLL cells further transform and four cell lines were establis hed following transfection with myc plus ras. Surface marker profiles and immunoglobulin gene rearrangement studies confirm that all cell li nes have arisen from the original CLL cells. The cell lines are EBNA p ositive but negative for EBV latent membrane protein (LMP). Karyotypin g of the cell lines is as follows: SA4, 46,XY; SA4-2, 45,XY,-20; RK4, 48,XY,+5,+12; EHC4, 47,XY, t(14;18)(q32;q21),+12. Although the majorit y of CLL cells appear resistant to transformation in vitro with myc an d ras with the methods used, it does occur in a small percentage (abou t 8%). There appeared to be no correlation between the ability to tran sform in vitro and clinical behaviour.