Comparative results with various polyclonal B-cell activators in aneuploid chronic lymphocytic leukemia

The mitotic index and number of abnormal metaphases of cells stimulated with the various B-cell polyclonal mitogens (PBA) in six B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cases were evaluated. The PBA included tetradecanoyl-0-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), staphylococcus bacterial strain Cowan I (Cowan I), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and lipopolysaccharide W from E. coli 0.55:B5 (LPS). TPA could stimulate only 1 of 12 samples. Even though Cowan I led to a relatively high mitotic index, abnormal clones were inconsistently obtained with this mitogen. PWM, EBV, and LPS appear to be the most desirable activators of B-CLL cells among the PBA used in this study.