FMC-HU-1-B: a lymphoma B-cell line with unusual characteristics

A cell line (FMC-Hu-1-B) was established from a biopsy of an abdominal mass of a child with non-Burkitt's lymphoma. The establishment of the cell line initially required the presence of normal bone marrow stromal cells and phytohaemagglutinin stimulated leucocyte conditioned medium. The cell line lacked Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen and exhibited numerous chromosomal abnormalities. Cell-surface marker analysis using a panel of monoclonal antibodies revealed only markers of the B lineage. Within the B-cell lineage FMC-Hu-1-B seemed to occupy a level of maturation equivalent to normal mature B-cells (surface membrane IgM, secretion of immunoglobulin and FMC-1 positive). However, the cells also weakly expressed the common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia antigen, normally found on early precursors of B-cells. The cells appear to secrete auto-stimulatory growth factor(s).