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Type I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR) tyrosine kinase plays important roles in the pathogenesis of several malignancies. Although it promotes the growth of stimulated hematopoietic cells, a direct role of IGF-IR in malignant lymphoma has not been identified. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALK(+) ALCL) is a unique type of T-cell lymphoma. Approximately 85% of ALK(+) ALCL cases harbor the translocation t(2;5)(p23;q35), which generates the chimeric oncogene NPM-ALK. In the present study, we explored a possible role of IGF-IR in ALK(+) ALCL. Our results demonstrate that IGF-IR and IGF-I are widely expressed in ALK(+) ALCL cell lines and primary tumors. Importantly, we identified novel reciprocal functional interactions between IGF-IR and NPM-ALK. Antagonism of IGF-IR decreased the viability, induced apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest, and decreased proliferation and colony formation of ALK(+) ALCL cell lines. These effects could be explained by alterations of cell survival regulatory proteins downstream of IGF-IR signaling. Our findings improve current understanding of the biology of IGF-IR and NPM-ALK and have significant therapeutic implications as they identify IGF-IR signaling as a potential therapeutic target in ALK(+) ALCL and possibly other types of malignant lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by an early, widespread dissemination and residual disease after conventional treatment, but the mechanisms responsible for lymphoma cell motility and drug resistance are largely unknown. There is growing evidence suggesting that chemokine receptors and adhesion molecules are critical for malignant B-cell trafficking and homing to supportive tissue microenvironments, where they receive survival and drug resistance signals. Therefore, we examined chemokine receptor and adhesion molecule expression and function in MCL cells and their importance for migration and adhesion to marrow stromal cells (MSCs). We found that MCL cells display high levels of functional CXCR4 and CXCR5 chemokine receptors and VLA-4 adhesion molecules. We also report that MCL cells adhere and spontaneously migrate beneath MSCs in a CXCR4- and VLA-4-dependent fashion (pseudoemperipolesis). Moreover, we demonstrate that MSCs confer drug resistance to MCL cells, particularly to MCL cells that migrate beneath MSC. To target MCL-MSC interactions, we tested Plerixafor, a CXCR4 antagonist, and natalizumab, a VLA-4 antibody. Both agents blocked functional responses to the respective ligands and inhibited adhesive interactions between MCL cells and MSCs. These findings provide a rationale to further investigate the therapeutic potential of these drugs in MCL.

BLyS and its major receptor BAFF-R have been shown to be critical for development and homeostasis of normal B lymphocytes, and for cell growth and survival of neoplastic B lymphocytes, but the biologic mechanisms of this ligand/receptor-derived intracellular signaling pathway(s) have not been completely defined. We have discovered that the BAFF-R protein was present in the cell nucleus, in addition to its integral presence in the plasma membrane and cytoplasm, in both normal and neoplastic B cells. BAFF-R interacted with histone H3 and IKKbeta in the cell nucleus, enhancing histone H3 phosphorylation through IKKbeta. Nuclear BAFF-R was also associated with NF-kappaB/c-Rel and bound to NF-kappaB targeted promoters including BLyS, CD154, Bcl-xL, IL-8, and Bfl-1/A1, promoting the transcription of these genes. These observations suggested that in addition to activating NF-kappaB pathways in the plasma membrane, BAFF-R also promotes normal B-cell and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL-B) survival and proliferation by functioning as a transcriptional regulator through a chromatin remodeling mechanism(s) and NF-kappaB association. Our studies provide an expanded conceptual view of the BAFF-R signaling, which should contribute a better understanding of the physiologic mechanisms involved in normal B-cell survival and growth, as well as in the pathophysiology of aggressive B-cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases.

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) used an array of 3He proportional counters to measure the rate of neutral-current interactions in heavy water and precisely determined the total active (nu_x) 8B solar neutrino flux. This technique is independent of previous methods employed by SNO. The total flux is found to be 5.54_-0.31;+0.33(stat)-0.34+0.36(syst)x10(6) cm(-2) s(-1), in agreement with previous measurements and standard solar models. A global analysis of solar and reactor neutrino results yields Deltam2=7.59_-0.21;+0.19x10(-5) eV2 and theta=34.4_-1.2;+1.3 degrees. The uncertainty on the mixing angle has been reduced from SNO's previous results.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is an adaptor/scaffold protein that mediates several important signaling pathways, including the tumor necrosis factor-R:NF-kappaB pathway, involved in immune surveillance, inflammation, etc. Because most studies of TRAF6 function have focused primarily on its role as an adaptor molecule in signaling pathways in the cytoplasm, the potential functions of TRAF6 in other cellular compartments has not been previously investigated. Here, we demonstrate that TRAF6 resides not only in the cellular cytoplasm but is also found in the nuclei of both normal and malignant B lymphocytes. TRAF6 does not possess a nuclear localization signal but enters the nucleus through the nuclear pore complex containing RanGap1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation cloning experiments demonstrated that nuclear TRAF6 associates with c-Myb within the 5'-end of the c-Myb promoter. Further analysis showed that nuclear TRAF6 is modified by small ubiquitin-related modifier-1, interacts with histone deacetylase 1, and represses c-Myb-mediated transactivation. Thus, TRAF6 negatively regulates c-Myb through a novel repressor function in the nuclei of both normal and malignant B-lymphocytes that could represent a novel control mechanism that maintains cell homeostasis and immune surveillance.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of glutathione (GSH) depletion and cellular oxidation on rat diaphragm contractility and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) function in vitro under basal conditions and following fatiguing stimulation. Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) treatment (n = 10) for 10 days (20 mM in drinking water) reduced (P < 0.05) diaphragm GSH content (nmol/mg protein) and the ratio of GSH to glutathione disulfide (GSH/GSSG) by 91% and 71%, respectively, compared with controls (CTL) (n = 10). Western blotting showed that Hsp70 expression in diaphragm was not increased (P > 0.05) with BSO treatment. As hypothesized, basal peak twitch force (g/mm(2)) was increased (P < 0.05), and fatigability in response to repetitive stimulation (350-ms trains at 100 Hz once every 1 s for 5 min) was also increased (P < 0.05) in BSO compared with CTL. Both Ca(2+) uptake and maximal SERCA activity (mumol.g protein(-1).min(-1)) measured in diaphragm homogenates that were prepared at rest were increased (P < 0.05) with BSO treatment, an effect that could be partly explained by a twofold increase (P < 0.05) in SERCA2a expression with BSO. In response to the 5-min stimulation protocol, both Ca(2+) uptake and maximal SERCA activity were increased (P < 0.05) in CTL but not (P > 0.05) in BSO diaphragm. We conclude that 1) cellular redox state is more optimal for contractile function and fatigability is increased in rat diaphragm following BSO treatment, 2) SERCA2a expression is modulated by redox signaling, and 3) regulation of SERCA function in working diaphragm is altered following BSO treatment.

CD40 is an integral plasma membrane-associated member of the TNF receptor family that has recently been shown to also reside in the nucleus of both normal B cells and large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) cells. However, the physiological function of CD40 in the B-cell nucleus has not been examined. In this study, we demonstrate that nuclear CD40 interacts with the NF-kappaB protein c-Rel, but not p65, in LBCL cells. Nuclear CD40 forms complexes with c-Rel on the promoters of NF-kappaB target genes, CD154, BLyS/BAFF, and Bfl-1/A1, in various LBCL cell lines. Wild-type CD40, but not NLS-mutated CD40, further enhances c-Rel-mediated Blys promoter activation as well as proliferation in LBCL cells. Studies in normal B cells and LBCL patient cells further support a nuclear transcriptional function for CD40 and c-Rel. Cooperation between nuclear CD40 and c-Rel appears to be important in regulating cell growth and survival genes involved in lymphoma cell proliferation and survival mechanisms. Modulating the nuclear function of CD40 and c-Rel could reveal new mechanisms in LBCL pathophysiology and provide potential new targets for lymphoma therapy.

Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were administered the red wine polyphenol resveratrol in drinking water at 0, 0.448, or 4.48 mg/l (control, low, or high, respectively) for 28 days. The low dosage was chosen to mimic moderate red wine consumption. After the treatment period, thoracic aorta rings were excised for in vitro assessment of vasomotor function. Chronic resveratrol significantly improved endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine (Ach), increasing maximal values to 80.8% +/- 5.2% and 80.8% +/- 5.0% in low and high groups, respectively, compared with 60.7% +/- 1.4% in controls (P<0.01). This treatment effect was eliminated in the presence of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) blocker N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. Resveratrol did not affect relaxation to sodium nitroprusside or systolic blood pressure in SHRs. In contrast to the SHR results, chronic resveratrol in Sprague Dawley rats did not affect vasomotor function in aorta rings in response to Ach. Hydrogen peroxide was reduced in the SHR thoracic aorta by a high dosage of resveratrol (P<0.05), but it was not significantly altered in other tissues tested. Thoracic aorta immunoblots revealed no significant treatment effects in SHRs on eNOS, superoxide dismutases 1 and 2, gp91phox, or Hsp90. Thus, these data provide novel evidence of improved endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in hypertensive, but not normotensive, animals as a result of chronic resveratrol consumption mimicking dosages resulting from moderate red wine consumption. This response was not dependent on increases in eNOS expression but was dependent on improved NO bioavailability.

Blastoid-variant mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL-BV), unlike most B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL-Bs), is refractory to conventional chemotherapy and associated with a very poor prognosis. Development of new therapies has been hampered by the lack of valid animal models. We have developed a novel murine model of MCL-BV by crossing interleukin 14alpha (IL-14alpha) transgenic mice with c-Myc transgenic mice (double transgenic [DTG]). IL-14alpha is a B-cell growth factor that is expressed in a number of high-grade lymphomas, including MCL-BV. Ninety-five percent of IL-14alpha transgenic mice develop CD5(+) large B-cell lymphomas by 18 months of age. Sixty percent of c-Myc transgenic mice develop pre-B-cell lymphomas by 12 months of age. Close to 100% of DTG mice develop an aggressive, rapidly fatal lymphoma at 3 to 4 months of age that is CD5(+), CD19(+), CD21(-), CD23(-), sIgM(+). The tumor is found in the blood, bone marrow, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, gastrointestinal tract, and lungs and rarely in the brain, similar to the involvement seen in human MCL-BV. Immunoglobulin gene rearrangements document the monoclonality of the tumor. Cyclin D1 is highly expressed in these tumors, as it is in MCL-BV. DTG represents a novel model for MCL-BV that should reveal important insights into the pathogenesis of the lymphoma and contribute to the development of new forms of therapy.

Oxidative stress contributes to homeostasis in vascular cells. However, excessive ROS is pathophysiological and contributes to impaired endothelium-dependent dilation in hypertension by decreasing NO bio-availability. NADPH oxidase is upregulated in hypertension by humoral and mechanical signals, and quantitatively this enzyme makes the largest contribution to ROS production. Genetic and chemical manipulation of NADPH oxidase and of antioxidant enzymes cause predictable changes in oxidative stress and endothelium-dependent function in hypertension. The chemical antioxidant glutathione also impacts endothelium-mediated vascular function, possibly through maintenance of S-nitrosothiols and via other independent antioxidant effects. The effects of changes in thiols and nitrosothiols on vasomotor function in hypertension need to be examined. H(2)O(2) is believed to act as an EDHF physiologically. Thus, there must be competition between the influence of ROS and oxidative stress on NO-dependent dilation versus EDHF-dependent dilation. The crossover effects of ROS on the three main endothelium-dependent dilatory pathways must be examined in hypertension models.

We report a rare case of mediastinal follicular dendritic cell (FDC) sarcoma involving the bone marrow. The patient, a 46-year-old woman, had a clinically aggressive tumor in the anterior mediastinum that was initially diagnosed as a diffuse B-cell lymphoma. She received chemotherapy but showed no significant improvement. One year later, the patient presented at our institution with pelvic bone metastases. Biopsy specimens of the sacrum lesion and bone marrow were obtained. The diagnosis of FDC sarcoma was made based on histological examination and immunohistochemical findings, including strong positive staining of tumor cells for CD21, CD23, clusterin, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and negative staining for CD20, CD30, CD45, CD1a, S-100, vimentin, and keratin cocktail. Histological examination and immunohistochemical studies of a previous biopsy of the mediastinal mass confirmed the diagnosis of mediastinal FDC sarcoma. The patient was treated with an appropriate chemotherapy regimen; 1 month later, follow-up bone marrow biopsy revealed no tumor cells. Although FDC sarcoma is considered a low-grade tumor, the tumor in the present case not only developed at an unusual location with bone metastasis but also involved bone marrow. To our knowledge, this is the first such case ever reported. This case also highlights the utility of EGFR as an immunohistochemical marker of dendritic cell tumors that could be used as a diagnostic tool and guide for choosing appropriate chemotherapy regimens.

Multiple genetic loci contribute to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In murine models for SLE, various genes on chromosome four have been implicated. IL-14 is a cytokine originally identified as a B cell growth factor. The il14 gene is located on chromosome 4. IL-14alpha is a cytokine encoded by the plus strand of the IL-14 gene using exons 3-10. The expression of IL-14alpha is increased in (NZB x NZW)F1 mice. In this study, we produced IL-14alpha-transgenic mice to study the role of IL-14alpha in the development of autoimmunity. At age 3-9 mo, IL-14alpha-transgenic mice demonstrate increased numbers of B1 cells in the peritoneum, increased serum IgM, IgG, and IgG 2a and show enhanced responses to T-dependent and T-independent Ags compared with littermate controls. At age 9-17 mo, IL-14alpha-transgenic mice develop autoantibodies, sialadenitis, as in Sjögren's syndrome, and immune complex-mediated nephritis, as in World Health Organization class II SLE nephritis. Between the ages 14-18 mo, 95% of IL-14alpha-transgenic mice developed CD5+ B cell lymphomas, consistent with the lymphomas seen in elderly patients with Sjögren's syndrome and SLE. These data support a role for IL-14alpha in the development of both autoimmunity and lymphomagenesis. These studies may provide a genetic link between these often related disorders.

The aberrant fusion protein NPM-ALK plays an important pathogenetic role in ALK+ anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL). We previously demonstrated that Jak3 potentiates the activity of NPM-ALK. Jak3 activation is restricted to interleukins that recruit the common gamma chain (gammac) receptor, including IL-9. NPM-ALK was previously shown to promote widespread lymphomas in IL-9 transgenic mice by unknown mechanisms. We hypothesized that IL-9 plays an important role in ALK+ ALCL via Jak3 activation. Our studies demonstrate the expression of IL-9Ralpha and IL-9 in 3 ALK+ ALCL-cell lines and 75% and 83% of primary tumors, respectively. IL-9 was detected in serum-free culture medium harvested from ALK+ ALCL-cell lines, supporting autocrine release of IL-9. Treatment of these cells with an anti-IL-9-neutralizing antibody decreased pJak3 and its kinase activity, along with pStat3 and ALK kinase activity. These effects were associated with decreased cell proliferation and colony formation in soft agar and cell-cycle arrest. Evidence suggests that cell-cycle arrest can be attributed to up-regulation of p21 and down-regulation of Pim-1. Our results illustrate that IL-9/Jak3 signaling plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of ALK+ ALCL and that it represents a potential therapeutic target for treating patients with ALK+ ALCL.

CD40 is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily, (TNFR; TNFRSF-5) member, that initiates important signaling pathways mediating cell growth, survival, and differentiation in B-lymphocytes. Although CD40 has been extensively studied as a plasma membrane-associated growth factor receptor, we demonstrate here that CD40 is present not only in the plasma membrane and cytoplasm but also in the nucleus of normal and neoplastic B-lymphoid cells. Confocal microscopy showed that transfected CD40-green fluorescent fusion protein entered B-cell nuclei. The CD40 protein contains a nuclear localization signal sequence that, when mutated, blocks entry of CD40 into the nucleus through the classic karyopherins (importins-alpha/beta) pathway. Nuclear fractionation studies revealed the presence of CD40 protein in the nucleoplasm fraction of activated B cells, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that CD40 binds to and stimulates the BLyS/BAFF promoter, another TNF family member (TNFSF-13B) involved in cell survival in the B cell lineage. Like other nuclear growth factor receptors, CD40 appears to be a transcriptional regulator and is likely to play a larger and more complex role than previously demonstrated in regulating essential growth and survival pathways in B-lymphocytes.

B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS), a relatively recently recognized member of the tumor necrosis factor ligand family (TNF), is a potent cell-survival factor expressed in many hematopoietic cells. BLyS binds to 3 TNF-R receptors, TACI, BCMA, BAFF-R, to regulate B-cell survival, differentiation, and proliferation. The mechanisms involved in BLYS gene expression and regulation are still incompletely understood. In this study, we examined BLYS gene expression, function, and regulation in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL-B) cells. Our studies indicate that BLyS is constitutively expressed in aggressive NHL-B cells, including large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), playing an important role in the survival and proliferation of malignant B cells. We found that 2 important transcription factors, NF-kappaB and NFAT, are involved in regulating BLyS expression through at least one NF-kappaB and 2 NFAT binding sites in the BLYS promoter. We also provide evidence suggesting that the constitutive activation of NF-kappaB and BLyS in NHL-B cells forms a positive feedback loop associated with lymphoma cell survival and proliferation. Our findings indicate that constitutive NF-kappaB and NFAT activations are crucial transcriptional regulators of the BLyS survival pathway in malignant B cells that could be therapeutic targets in aggressive NHL-B.

Ten-day administration of the glutamate-cysteine ligase inhibitor L-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine (BSO; 20 or 30 mM in drinking water) to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats induced 50-60% glutathione depletion (p<0.001) and elevated aortic ring reactive oxygen species release and tissue and plasma H2O2 concentrations (p<0.001) compared to control animals (CON) that consumed normal drinking water. In contrast to previous studies using tail cuff plethysmography methods, BSO had no significant effect on systolic blood pressure assessed by indwelling femoral artery catheters in conscious animals (10-day values, 119+/-3 mn Hg vs 122+/-4 mm Hg in CON vs BSO, respectively). Thoracic aorta rings were excised for in vitro assessment of vasomotor function. BSO shifted the phenylephrine (PE) dose-response curve to the left (p=0.003), lowering the EC50 for PE contraction (from -6.752+/-0.056 to -7.056+/-0.055 log units; p=0.001). Endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine (ACh) was significantly blunted (p=0.019) and the EC50 for ACh relaxation was significantly increased (from -7.428+/-0.117 to -7.129+/-0.048 log units; p=0.02) in BSO vs CON. Endothelium-independent vasorelaxation to sodium nitroprusside was similar in BSO and CON groups. Thoracic aorta immunoblot analyses revealed increases in endothelial nitric oxide synthase, superoxide dismutase 1 and 2, and soluble guanylate cyclase in BSO vs CON (all p<0.01). Thus, enhanced PE contraction, blunted endothelium-dependent relaxation, and adaptations in nitric oxide bioavailability pathways provide the first evidence of chronic, in vivo BSO-induced, oxidative stress-mediated direct effects on the vasomotor function of arteries.

Abnormalities in B-lymphocyte CD40 ligand (CD154) expression have been described for a number of immunologic diseases, including B-cell lymphomas. Although functional analysis of the CD154 gene and protein has been extensive, little is known about the mechanisms controlling CD154 expression in activated T cells, and even less is known for normal and malignant B cells. In this study we describe the transcriptional mechanism controlling CD154 expression in large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). We show that the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factor is also constitutively activated in LBCL. We demonstrate that the constitutively active NFATc1 and c-rel members of the NFAT and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) families of transcription factors, respectively, directly interact with each other, bind to the CD154 promoter, and synergistically activate CD154 gene transcription. Down-regulation of NFATc1 or c-rel with small interfering RNA (siRNA) or chemical inhibitors inhibits CD154 gene transcription and lymphoma cell growth. These findings suggest that targeting NF-kappaB and NFAT, by inhibiting the expression of these transcription factors, or interdicting their interaction may provide a therapeutic rationale for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma of B-cell origin, and possibly other disorders that display dysregulated CD154 expression.

By confining germline transcription as a byproduct of the mechanisms inherent to genetic rearrangements, the translation of respective mRNAs and their biological relevance might have been overlooked. Here we report the identification, cloning, and biochemical characterization of a human Vkappa-like protein that is encoded by a germline transcript. This surrogate protein assembles with the immunoglobulin mu heavy chain at the surface of B cell progenitors and precursors to form a kappa-like antigen receptor. These findings support the notion that germline transcription is not futile and stress the flexibility in eukaryotic gene usage and expression. In addition, the present study confirms the co-existence of surrogate lambda and kappa receptors that are proposed to work in concert to promote B lymphocyte maturation.

A P-ethoxy oligonucleotide (oligo), 20 bases long and specific for the translation initiation site of human Bcl-2 mRNA, was incorporated into liposomes to increase its intracellular delivery. This oligo selectively inhibited Bcl-2 protein expression and induced growth inhibition in t(14;18)-positive transformed follicular lymphoma (FL) cell lines. We studied the inhibitory effects of shorter liposomal P-ethoxy oligos (7, 9, 11 or 15 mer) in order to determine the activity of different oligo chain lengths targeted to the same Bcl-2 mRNA. At 12 microM, all the oligos inhibited the growth of a FL cell line. We compared the 7-mer oligo with the 20-mer oligo. The two oligos inhibited Bcl-2 protein expression similarly: 66% and 60% for the 7- and 20-mer, respectively. The uptake and retention of both oligos were also very similar. Our results indicate that the Bcl-2 inhibitory activity is maintained with P-ethoxy antisense oligos ranging from 7 to 20 bases.

Constitutive activation of the NF-kappaB has been documented to be involved in the pathogenesis of many human malignancies, including hemopoietic neoplasms. In this study, we examined the status of NF-kappaB in two non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cell lines derived from mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) samples and in patient MCL biopsy specimens by EMSA and confocal microscopic analysis. We observed that NF-kappaB is constitutively activated in both the MCL cell lines and in the MCL patient biopsy cells. Since NF-kappaB has been shown to play an important role in a variety of cellular processes, including cell cycle regulation and apoptosis, targeting the NF-kappaB pathways for therapy may represent a rational approach in this malignancy. In the MCL cell lines, inhibition of constitutive NF-kappaB by the proteasome inhibitor PS-341 or a specific pIkappaBalpha inhibitor, BAY 11-7082, led to cell cycle arrest in G(1) and rapid induction of apoptosis. Apoptosis was associated with the down-regulation of bcl-2 family members bcl-x(L) and bfl/A1, and the activation of caspase 3, that mediates bcl-2 cleavage, resulting in the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. PS-341or BAY 11-induced G(1) cell cycle arrest was associated with the inhibition of cyclin D1 expression, a molecular genetic marker of MCL. These studies suggest that constitutive NF-kappaB expression plays a key role in the growth and survival of MCL cells, and that PS-341 and BAY 11 may be useful therapeutic agents for MCL, a lymphoma that is refractory to most current chemotherapy regimens.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a distinct type of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma characterized by cyclin D1 overexpression and the cytogenetic abnormality, the t(11;14)(q13;q32). MCL cell lines have been difficult to establish and in vitro studies of these neoplasms are scarce. We describe the establishment and characteristics of a new MCL cell line, Mino. The cells are large, growing singly and in small clumps in vitro. By flow cytometry, the immunophenotype was compatible with MCL (i.e. CD5+CD20+CD23-FMC7+). Conventional cytogenetics showed hyperdiploidy with multiple complex karyotypic abnormalities, but no evidence of the t(11;14), proven to be present only by fluorescence in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Western blots showed expression of cyclin D1 but no detectable cyclin D2 and cyclin D3; the retinoblastoma protein was predominantly phosphorylated. There was expression of tumor suppressor gene products including p53, p16(INK4a), and p21(WAF1). Sequencing of the TP53 gene revealed a mutation (codon 147(valine-->glycine)) in exon 5. Epstein Barr virus was absent. In summary, Mino is a new MCL cell line that may be useful to study the pathogenesis of MCL.

The chromosomal rearrangement t(14;18)(q32;21) involves the major (MBR) or minor (mcr) breakpoint cluster regions and the immunoglobulin heavy chain joining regions (JH) in most follicular lymphomas. As a first step towards determining the clinical significance of circulating cells with t(14;18), we detected and quantitated circulating cells in samples obtained from volunteer blood donors and follicular lymphoma patients. The t(14;18) was co-amplified with beta-actin with real-time quantitative PCR (QRT-PCR) in reactions containing 1 microg of DNA from peripheral blood or bone marrow aspirates. The cell number was quantitated using linear regression and an external standard of serially diluted DNA from cell lines with MBR/JH or mcr/JH rearrangements. At dilutions of 10(5) and 106, sensitivity was 100 and 55% for MBR/JH, and 100 and 10% for mcr/JH rearrangements. Among 102 volunteer blood donors MBR/JH vs. mcr/JH amplicons were detected in 22 vs. 4% with duplicate 1 microg DNA reactions, and in 41 vs. 6% with a total 10 microg DNA analyzed in multiple reactions. Among volunteer blood donors the mean number of circulating cells with MBR/JH vs. mcr/JH rearrangements were 0.8 vs. 0.1/microg DNA, and exceeded the upper normal limit (defined as the mean of all volunteer samples plus two standard deviations) in 3% vs. 2%, respectively. Analysis for MBR/JH rearrangements revealed that follicular lymphoma patients vs. volunteer blood donors were positive in 76% vs. 22% (p = 0.008 by Fisher's exact test); that the mean number of MBR/JH cells per microg of DNA was 91 vs. 0.8 (p = 0.0002 by Mann-Whitney test); and the number of the MBR/JH cells exceeded the upper normal limit in 32% vs. 3% of subjects (p = 0.0001 by Fisher's exact test). Circulating cells with mcr/JH were not detected among any of these 25 lymphoma patients. We conclude that patients with follicular lymphoma are more frequently positive, have higher numbers of circulating cells with t(14;18), which exceed upper normal limit more frequently than in volunteer blood donors.

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) has measured day and night solar neutrino energy spectra and rates. For charged current events, assuming an undistorted 8B spectrum, the night minus day rate is 14.0%+/-6.3%(+1.5%)(-1.4%) of the average rate. If the total flux of active neutrinos is additionally constrained to have no asymmetry, the nu(e) asymmetry is found to be 7.0%+/-4.9%(+1.3%)(-1.2%). A global solar neutrino analysis in terms of matter-enhanced oscillations of two active flavors strongly favors the large mixing angle solution.

Observations of neutral-current nu interactions on deuterium in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory are reported. Using the neutral current (NC), elastic scattering, and charged current reactions and assuming the standard 8B shape, the nu(e) component of the 8B solar flux is phis(e) = 1.76(+0.05)(-0.05)(stat)(+0.09)(-0.09)(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1) for a kinetic energy threshold of 5 MeV. The non-nu(e) component is phi(mu)(tau) = 3.41(+0.45)(-0.45)(stat)(+0.48)(-0.45)(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1), 5.3sigma greater than zero, providing strong evidence for solar nu(e) flavor transformation. The total flux measured with the NC reaction is phi(NC) = 5.09(+0.44)(-0.43)(stat)(+0.46)(-0.43)(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1), consistent with solar models.

Fludarabine and rituximab (Rituxan; Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA, and IDEC Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA) are active against indolent lymphomas. We have previously shown the safety and efficacy of the combination of FND (fludarabine/mitoxantrone/dexamethasone) in relapsed and subsequently untreated patients with stage IV indolent lymphomas. Currently, we treat patients with stage IV indolent lymphomas who are previously untreated, younger than 60 years, human immunodeficiency virus-negative, and have adequate organ and marrow function with FND and random assignment to concurrent or delayed administration of rituximab. We have developed a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for t(14;18). With 1 microg of DNA, this assay detects 0.6 copies in 55% of reactions, as expected for the Poisson distribution. When 1microg of DNA was analyzed in duplicate, cells with the t(14;18) were detected in peripheral blood of 22% of 152 volunteer blood donors. Quantitation showed that numbers of t(14;18) cells were higher than the statistical upper normal limit (mean of all volunteer values plus standard deviations) in 2% of volunteer blood donors. By contrast, 36% of blood or marrow specimens from follicular lymphoma patients were positive, and the number of cells with t(14;18) was higher than the normal upper limit in 26%. The presence of cells with t(14;18) and their numbers are prospectively quantitated in blood and marrow of patients treated with FND plus rituximab to determine their clinical significance both at presentation and during therapy., (Copyright 2002 by W.B. Saunders Company.)

B cell lineage non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL-B) are neoplastic B cells that show dysregulated B lymphocyte growth characteristics. Unlike normal B cells, aggressive NHL-B cells show constitutive expression of nuclear NF-kappaB by maintaining an assembled, scaffold-like signaling platform, called a Signalosome within the lipid raft microdomain, extending from the cell membrane. The CD40 Signalosome appears to be initiated through autochthonous production and cognate binding of CD154 (CD40L, gp39) to CD40 by the lymphoma cell. Constitutive expression of NF-kappaB in NHL-B can be downregulated by treatment with antibodies to CD40 or CD154 that disrupt Signalosomes, inhibit lymphoma cell growth, and induce cell death. CD40 Signalosomes may provide a potentially vulnerable target for therapeutic intervention in NHL-B cells.

Solar neutrinos from (8)B decay have been detected at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory via the charged current (CC) reaction on deuterium and the elastic scattering (ES) of electrons. The flux of nu(e)'s is measured by the CC reaction rate to be straight phi(CC)(nu(e)) = 1.75 +/- 0.07(stat)(+0.12)(-0.11)(syst) +/- 0.05(theor) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1). Comparison of straight phi(CC)(nu(e)) to the Super-Kamiokande Collaboration's precision value of the flux inferred from the ES reaction yields a 3.3 sigma difference, assuming the systematic uncertainties are normally distributed, providing evidence of an active non- nu(e) component in the solar flux. The total flux of active 8B neutrinos is determined to be 5.44+/-0.99 x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1).

Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) of T- or null-cell lineage, as defined in the revised European-American lymphoma classification, includes a subset of tumors that carry the t(2;5)(p23;q35) resulting in overexpression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). Patients with ALK+ ALCL are reported to have a better prognosis than patients with ALK- ALCL. Because the mechanisms for this survival difference are unknown, we investigated the hypothesis that apoptotic pathways may be involved. We therefore assessed expression levels of the anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-2 and BCL-XL and the pro-apoptotic proteins BAX and BCL-XS in T/null-cell ALCL using immunohistochemical methods and correlated the findings with ALK expression and apoptotic rate (AR), the latter assessed by a modified Tdt-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay. ALK was detected in 21 of 66 (31.8%) ALCLs. BCL-2 was not detected in 21 ALK+ ALCLs but was present in 26 of 45 (57.8%) ALK- ALCLs (P < 0.0001). ALK+ and ALK- ALCLs also showed significant differences in expression of BCL-XL, BAX, and BCL-XS. ALK+ tumors less commonly had a high level of BCL-XL (1 of 17 versus 14 of 35, P = 0.01), and more commonly had high levels of BAX (13 of 18 versus 15 of 36, P = 0.05), and BCL-XS (11 of 16 versus 12 of 31, P = 0.05) compared with ALK- tumors. ALK+ tumors also had a higher mean AR than ALK- tumors (3.4% versus 1.1%, P = 0.0002). Differential expression of BCL-2 family proteins may be responsible for the higher AR observed in ALK+ ALCL and provides a possible biological explanation for the better prognosis reported for patients with ALK+ ALCL.

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) may involve the bone marrow in nodular, interstitial, diffuse, or mixed patterns. However, B-cell CLL/SLL associated with large reactive germinal centers (the so-called interfollicular pattern) involving the bone marrow is not reported. We describe 2 examples of B-cell CLL/SLL that subtotally replaced the bone marrow with an interfollicular pattern. In both cases, the neoplasms were composed of small round lymphoid cells; proliferation centers also were present. The neoplasms surrounded large reactive germinal centers that were devoid of peripheral mantle zones. The germinal centers were paratrabecular and nonparatrabecular in case 1 and nonparatrabecular in case 2. Flow cytometry immunophenotypic studies done on bone marrow aspiration samples of both cases showed a uniform population of neoplastic cells positive for pan-B-cell antigens and the CD5 and CD23 antigens. Immunohistochemical studies done on bone marrow biopsy sections supported the flow cytometry results and demonstrated that the germinal centers were negative for BCL-2. B-cell CLL/SLL may rarely involve the bone marrow with an interfollicular pattern. Knowledge of this pattern will prevent confusion with follicle center lymphoma and large cell transformation, both of which initially were considered in the differential diagnosis of these cases.

We have used severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) (c.b.-17, ICR/SCID) mice to develop xenotransplantation (XT) models for human intermediate-and-low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL). In the past, SCID mice have provided a variety of useful XT models for human hematopoietic neoplasms that primarily involve the acute leukemias and some nonhematopoietic tumors, but only rare reports exist on use of the SCID mouse model in the study of primary tumor cells from NHL. Intermediate-grade and low-grade NHL are the most common lymphomas seen in adults. There is no effective therapy for those types of NHL, and they have not been established in an animal model to date. The lack of an animal model has hampered studies that can evaluate the disease process in vivo as well as the definition of therapeutic parameters involved in treatment. We report in this study that primary patient samples of NHL ( intermediate grade and low grade) have been successfully established in SCID mice after XT. NHL include intermediate-grade (mantle cell lymphoma) and low-grade (eg, small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma) forms. Studies have been directed toward creating appropriate conditions for the optimal grafting of these NHL in SCID mice so that the disease process in humans could be accurately simulated. These studies indicate that development of XT-human lymphoma cells in SCID mice appear to be linked to their biologic and/or clinical behavior, transplanted lymphoma cell number, and age, as well as to the natural killer cell status of the SCID mouse recipients. Evidence has also shown that NHL cells can exhibit homing or trafficking patterns in SCID recipients that resemble those observed in patients with gastrointestinal lymphomatous involvement (particularly that of mantle cell lymphoma). Our studies also indicate that artefactual influences, such as the outgrowth of Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoblastoid lesions, are rare occurrences in the human NHL/SCID models that we have established.

A number of transgenic animal model systems have addressed the mechanistic role of p53 loss in tumor progression. However, many of these tumor models have analyzed p53 function in the context of other transgenes expressing activated oncogenes or defective tumor suppressor genes generated by gene targeting. To examine the role of p53 loss independent of other exogenous oncogenic influences, we analyzed some of the biological aspects of tumor formation and progression in p53-knockout mice containing a null germline p53 allele. We analyzed tumors from p53-/-, p53+/-, and p53+/+ littermates. Some of the p53+/- tumors had lost the remaining p53 allele (p53+/- loss of heterozygosity), whereas others retained the allele (p53+/-). In this report, we show that loss or absence of p53 conferred a tumor growth advantage by increasing the rate of cellular proliferation in a p53 dosage-dependent manner. The apoptotic levels in tumor tissue were found to be modest and not significantly dependent on p53 status. These results contrast with those from some other p53-deficient tumor models, in which p53 loss was associated with more rapid tumor progression through abrogated apoptosis. Finally, as p53 has been shown to regulate certain angiogenic factors, we examined the levels of angiogenesis in p53-containing and p53-deficient tumors. We found no p53-dependent differences in the levels of tumor angiogenesis measured by intratumoral microvessel density.

Retinoids have been shown to modulate cell growth and differentiation in a variety of human tumor cell types, but their effects on B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL-B) have not been explored. In this study, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in the free form and liposome-encapsulated form (L-ATRA) were used to determine effects on fresh NHL-B patient cells as well as cell lines recently established from both HIV-negative and -positive NHL-B patient biopsies. Both ATRA and L-ATRA were found to inhibit cell proliferation in NHL-B cells. However, L-ATRA was found to be superior to free ATRA in inhibiting cell proliferation of NHL-B cells and resulted in greater than 90% cell growth inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, L-ATRA also induced high levels of apoptosis in NHL-B cells in vitro. To delineate the apoptotic pathways involved, the expression of the apoptosis suppressor oncogene bcl-2 was evaluated in different NHL-B cells with and without the t(14;18) chromosomal translocation. After L-ATRA exposure, more than a 50% reduction in the expression of bcl-2 protein was observed. bcl-2 message levels were also down-regulated in the L-ATRA-sensitive NHL-B cells. Bax protein levels were analyzed and found to be up-regulated in L-ATRA-sensitive NHL-B cells. Similar results were observed in sensitive AIDS/lymphoma cell lines. Experiments using an RAR-alpha antagonist (RO 41-5253) showed that both the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induced by L-ATRA could be blocked in NHL-B cells. The findings of the present study indicate that L-ATRA may possess therapeutic potential in blocking cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and

Mice with disrupted germline p53 alleles have been engineered by us and others and have been shown to have enhanced susceptibility to spontaneous tumors of various types. We monitored a large number of p53-deficient mice (p53+/- and p53-/-) and their wild-type littermates (p53+/+) of two different genetic backgrounds (129/Sv and mixed C57BL/6 x 129/Sv) up to 2 yr of age. p53+/- and p53-/- 129/Sv mice show accelerated tumorigenesis rates compared with their p53-deficient counterparts of mixed C57BL/6 x 129/Sv genetic background. The tumor spectra of the two strains of mice are similar except that almost half of 129/Sv p53-/- males develop malignant teratomas, whereas these tumors are rarely observed in C57BL/6 x 129/Sv mice and never in 129/Sv p53+/- males. In the study reported here, we further characterized the lymphomas that arose in the p53-nullizygous mice and found that over three-quarters of the lymphomas were of thymic origin and contained primarily immature (CD4+/CD8+) T-cells, whereas the remainder originated in the spleen and peripheral lymph nodes and were of B-cell type. The high incidence of early-onset lymphomas in the nullizygous mice makes these animals a good lymphoma model, whereas the heterozygous mice may be a useful model for Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a human inherited cancer predisposition.

Fas/APO-1 is a cell-surface protein capable of inducing apoptosis in a variety of cell types upon specific antibody engagement. Antibodies against Fas/APO-1 have been used successfully for the treatment of several lymphoid malignancies in mice. Before apoptosis triggered by anti-Fas can be fully exploited as a clinical therapy, Fas/APO-1 distribution, function, and regulation must be further studied. In this study, we analyzed freshly isolated B-cell and T-cell lymphomas as well as nonhematological tumor cell lines for Fas/APO-1 expression and sensitivity to the growth-inhibitory effects of anti-Fas. Constitutive Fas/APO-1 was expressed at very low levels on only one of eight B-cell lymphomas analyzed. Expression was markedly up-regulated, however, by culture with high-molecular-weight B-cell growth factor (HMW-BCGF). Fas/APO-1 was constitutively expressed on one of two T-cell lymphomas examined at levels comparable to those of activated normal lymphocytes. However, neither the B-cell nor T-cell lymphomas positive for Fas/APO-1 expression were growth inhibited by anti-Fas. Furthermore, in the case of one HMW-BCGF-activated B-cell lymphoma, a significant growth enhancement was observed upon anti-Fas treatment. Nonhematologic tumor cell lines showed a similar spectrum of biologic responses to anti-Fas, being growth inhibited, growth stimulated or unaffected by antibody treatment. In summary, these studies suggest that engagement of Fas/APO-1 may trigger a diverse spectrum of biologic effects not unlike other members of the nerve growth factor receptor/tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is usually an indolent disorder which in some patients assumes an aggressive clinical course. In order to assess at presentation the prognosis of a given patient, several staging systems and prognostic variables have been proposed including the expression of the Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA). PCNA is a 36 kd nuclear protein, the regulation of which is cell cycle-dependent. In CLL, PCNA levels correlate with cell proliferation, clinical stage and the lymphocyte doubling time (LDT). Furthermore, preliminary data suggests that PCNA expression may also predict response to Fludarabine-based chemotherapy. Since PCNA is a cofactor for Delta DNA polymerase, PCNA overexpression in CLL may also reflect the intrinsic DNA repair activity of the leukemic cells and thus their resistance to chemotherapy. Further studies aiming at modulation of PCNA expression in CLL cells may clarify this issue and may offer a future new therapeutic strategy with which to treat this disorder.

Proliferation is necessary for many of the phenotypic changes that occur during B-cell maturation. Further differentiation of mature B cells into plasma cells or memory B cells requires additional rounds of proliferation. In this manuscript, we describe a cDNA for a human B-cell growth factor we call high-molecular-weight B-cell growth factor (HMW-BCGF). Purified HMW-BCGF has been shown to induce B-cell proliferation, inhibit immunoglobulin secretion, and selectively expand certain B-cell subpopulations. Studies using antibodies to HMW-BCGF and its receptor have suggested that HMW-BCGF, while produced by T cells and some malignant B cells, acts predominantly on normal and malignant B cells. The HMW-BCGF cDNA was identified by expression cloning using a monoclonal antibody and polyclonal antisera to HMW-BCGF. Protein produced from the cDNA induced B-cell proliferation, inhibited immunoglobulin secretion, and was recognized in immunoblots by anti-HMW-BCGF antibodies. The amino acid sequence of HMW-BCGF deduced from the cDNA predicts a secreted protein of 53 kDa with three potential N-linked glycosylation sites. The identification of this cDNA will allow further studies examining physiologic roles of this cytokine. We propose to call it interleukin 14.

The B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL-B) are a common, but heterogeneous group of human lymphoid neoplasms, consisting of monoclonal populations of neoplastic B lymphocytes demonstrating non-random chromosomal abnormalities, often associated with proto-oncogene translocations. Clinically and pathologically, these lymphomas are classified as low, intermediate, or high grade, according to the clinical aggressiveness of the NHL-B subtype. The clinical behavior can also be correlated with biological function regarding proliferative capabilities of the tumor cells. Our studies have shown that the low grade B cell lymphomas have low constitutive proliferative capacity in vitro and do not respond to cytokine growth factors (CGF), while the high grade NHL-B respond to the B cell growth factor (BCGF) family of CGFs. The high grade NHL-B also secrete BCGFs both in vitro and in vivo, as autocrine growth factors that may provide a target for new therapeutic approaches to therapy.

The development of AIDS-related lymphomas (ARL) has been on the rise in recent years. During an analysis of ARL from AIDS patients, one individual developed atypical syncytial variants of high-grade Burkitt's-type B-cell lymphomas, which prompted further study. However, the search for a HIV-1 retrovirus, which we hypothesized was infecting these cells, led to the subsequent discovery of a type D retrovirus in two early-passage lymphoma cell lines derived from this patient. Nucleotide and amino acid sequence analysis, as well as immunologic reactivity, indicated that the virus was closely related to Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) or simian retrovirus type 1 (SRV-1). MPMV and SRV-1 are immunosuppressive type D retroviruses that cause an AIDS-like syndrome in rhesus macaques. Amplification of DNA from the patient's diagnostic bone marrow biopsy specimen by the polymerase chain reaction generated MPMV-specific fragments indicative of infection by a retrovirus similar to MPMV. Additionally, the patient's serum contained antibodies that recognized type D retroviral env proteins (gp20 and gp70) and gag proteins (p27 and p14) as assayed by immunoblot and radioimmunoprecipitation techniques. Although there have been reports of human cell lines infected with type D retroviruses and of type D reactive human sera, this is the first report of a type D retrovirus infection in a human confirmed by virus isolation, serum immunoreactivity, and viral DNA identification in tumor tissue.

The clinical course of lymphoma patients in whom rearrangements or deletions of the short arm of chromosome 17 (17p) were evident by cytogenetics was rapidly progressive with a short survival. The gene for the protein designated p53 resides in 17p. We studied four lymphoma cell lines derived from human tumours, and 25 tumour samples of patients with lymphomas, for any evidence of p53 genomic changes by Southern blot technique. The four cell lines and four of the 25 tumour samples showed numerical changes of chromosome 17 or structural abnormalities of 17p (translocations or deletions). Allelic loss of the p53 gene was found in two of the four cell lines, and one of these in addition showed a rearrangement of the 3' end of the gene. Of the four tumours known to have chromosome 17 abnormality, one specimen showed allelic loss of the p53 gene. None of the remaining tumour samples showed any significant change. These studies suggest that acquisition of changes in the short arm of chromosome 17, which may be interrelated with the p53 gene, may carry a poor prognosis in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

An atypical syncytial variant of a high-grade Burkitt's-type B-cell lymphoma from a patient with AIDS who was seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 was studied. A productive type D retrovirus infection was identified in early-passage cell lines derived from two lymphomas from this patient. Nucleotide and amino acid sequence analysis as well as immunologic reactivity indicated that the isolated virus was highly related to Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV). MPMV is an immunosuppressive type D retrovirus that causes an AIDS-like syndrome in rhesus macaques. Amplification of DNA from the patient's diagnostic bone marrow biopsy specimen by polymerase chain reaction generated the appropriate MPMV-specific fragments and indicated that the patient was infected with the MPMV-like retrovirus. In addition, the patient's serum contained antibodies which recognized type D viral env proteins (gp70 and gp20) and gag proteins (p27 and p14). Although there have been reports of human cell lines infected with type D retroviruses and of type D-reactive human sera, this is the first evidence of a type D retrovirus infection in a human confirmed by virus isolation, serum reactivity, and viral DNA identification in tumor tissue.

Two degenerate oligonucleotide primers derived from regions of pol conserved among retroviruses have been synthesized. Polymerase chain reactions utilizing these primers amplify a 135-bp pol fragment in every retrovirus DNA tested to date. The polymerase chain reaction has been linked to a reverse transcriptase step so that a pol-specific DNA fragment can be obtained from a moderate amount of a purified retrovirus or viral RNA. The identity of an unknown retrovirus can be determined by sequencing of the amplified fragment following molecular cloning. This procedure was tested on an unidentified (non-HIV) retrovirus expressed by a B-cell lymphoma line obtained from an AIDS patient. Our PCR assay identified the retrovirus as being highly similar to Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) and simian retrovirus 1, which are closely related immunosuppressive type D viruses that cause simian AIDS.

Trypan blue is an azo dye widely used for testing cell viability. The dye has been identified as a mutagen and a carcinogen. In some strains of rats, particular Wistar rats, chronic exposure induces a reticuloendothelial neoplasm, predominantly in the liver. These tumors were studied with the use of immunologic cell membrane markers, electron microscopy, and histochemistry to characterize tumor cell type. The authors have studied this tumor in two inbred lines of Wistar rats to compare the efficacy of two previously described dye regimens on tumor incidence and to ascertain whether a short, intense exposure was as effective as chronic protracted exposure. No significant difference in tumor incidence was observed between the two regimens. These studies suggest that the tumor is composed of a macrophage-like cell that retains some characteristics of normal macrophages and that is a reproducible model for carcinogen-induced lymphoreticular human lymphomas.

Human Interleukin 1 (IL-1) purified by molecular weight fractionation, isoelectric focusing, and gel electrophoresis has been tested on human thymocytes and highly purified human T cells. IL-1 prepared in this manner could not support the long-term growth of T cells yet would augment lectin-stimulated mitogenesis. The IL-1 preparations were shown to possess the lectin-augmenting activity at dilutions containing less than 1 ng of the measurable protein. These data are in agreement with the model that IL-1 stimulates production of IL-2 from lectin-stimulated lymphocytes.

Tumor-bearing lymph nodes from SJL mice were characterized by histologic, ultrastructural, and immunologic methods. These approaches consistently revealed a predominance of macrophage-like cells in the primary neoplasm. When the tumor-bearing lymph nodes were placed in cell culture, colonies of adherent cells grew slowly to confluence and demonstrated morphologic and functional properties of macrophages. The tumor cells were also grown in soft agar where clusters and colonies of large, often binucleate, cells predominated. These cells were uniformly nonspecific esterase-positive, again, suggesting a macrophage origin. In addition, supernatants derived from SJL tumor cells were shown to have mitogen-augmenting activity as tested on murine thymocytes. These findings are discussed in the context of the SJL tumor as a proliferative condition primarily involving macrophages, which may be useful as a model of human diseases such as Hodgkin's disease.