The effect of IL-4 on the phenotype of a human B-cell lymphoma line (Farage) lacking immunoglobulin expression

Farage cells do not express surface immunoglobulins (sIg) but display a high level of CD19, CD21, CD22, CD23, CD39, CD40 B-cell antigens, and various adhesion proteins, such as CD11a (LFA-1), CD29 (VLA-4), CD44, CD54 (ICAM-1), and CD58 (LFA-3). The phenotype of Farage resembled that of EBV-LCL but differed from the phenotype of Burkitt's lymphoma lines, which were CD39- CD44-, expressed a high level of CD38, and either lacked CD21 or were weakly positive. Exposure to IL-4 augmented the concentrations of CD23 and of adhesion proteins on the surface of Farage cells but diminished the expression of CD21, CD22, and CD38. IL-4 did not induce the expression of sIg on Farage cells and failed to affect the level of HLA-DR. IL-2 and TPA did not alter the level of CD21 and adhesion proteins on Farage cells. Although IL-4 induced unique changes of the antigenic pattern in Farage, no significant effect on the phenotype of Burkitt's lymphoma lines was detected after IL-4 treatment. The present study indicates that the responsiveness of B cells to IL-4 is not determined by the expression of sIg but rather is associated with the antigenic profile characteristic for non-germinal center B lymphocytes.