CD56+, NKp46+ cell line (MZ93) expressing T-cell and myeloid antigens

The MZ93 cell line, established from a patient with CML, expressed CD4, CD7, CD13, CD25, CD33, CD34, CD56 and NKp46. The additional karyotype abnormality of the Ph-positive leukemia cells in vivo, 6p+, was also observed in MZ93. The early passages of MZ93 expressed CD3 in the cytoplasm, but the late passages did not. The cells did not express mature NK-markers as expected. The messenger RNAs of CD2 and NKp46 were detected and those of CD3varepsilon and CD3zeta were absent in the cells. Therefore, the cell line has the immunophenotype likely to NK and/or T cell precursor.