Phenotypic modulation of T-lymphoblastic leukaemic cells with phorbol ester and leucocyte conditioned medium

Human T-lymphoblastic leukaemic cell line Karpas-45 (K-45) can be induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) to become phenotypically more mature. Marker studies show that the percentages of E-rosette-positive (E+) and UCHT1+ cells are increased after exposure to PMA. Fluorescence of UCHT4+ and 2D1+ cells is increased although their percentages remain almost unchanged. OKT4+ and peanut agglutinin (PNA)-positive cells are greatly reduced. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) becomes negative. PMA treatment of K-45 cells after deletion of UCHT4+ cells suggest that marker changes detected by UCHT2, OKT4 and sheep red blood cells (SRBC) occur mainly in the UCHT4+ cells. The proliferation of PMA-treated K-45 cells is dramatically inhibited and the cell size becomes smaller. These results indicate that K-45 cells are induced to differentiate phenotypically towards a suppressor/cytotoxic T cell. However functional maturation can not be demonstrated. Phytohemagglutinin-stimulated leucocyte conditioned medium (LCM) is able to suppress DNA synthesis of K-45 cells and reduce the PNA+ proportion. It seems that LCM can induce a limited degree of differentiation of K-45 cells.