Objective: A new interleukin-6 (IL-6)-dependent plasma cell leukemia cell line UHKT-944 was established from bone marrow cells derived from a 55-yr-old man with plasma cell leukemia.
Results: The cell line possesses phenotypic characteristics of plasma cells including the production of a monoclonal immunoglobulin IgA1-kappa. VH3-9 region of IgVH genes was rearranged and somatically hypermutated. The UHKT-944 cells were found to be negative for most of tested B-cell, T-cell, and myeloid markers. According to cytogenetic analysis, the cells were classified as near tetraploid with several numerical and structural abnormalities including the t(14;20) involving IgH locus.
Conclusion: The established permanent plasma cell leukemia cell line is a suitable model for the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of this rare malignant disease.
Keywords: human plasma cell line; interleukin-6 (IL-6); multiple myeloma; plasma cell; plasma cell leukemia.
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.