Epstein‐Barr Virus‐associated Post‐transplant Non‐Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Establishment and Characterization of a New Cell Line

A new human lymphoma cell line derived from pulmonary non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma that developed in a renal transplant recipient was established from the patient's pleural effusion and designated PTLC‐1. PTLC‐1 grew aggressively in suspension, forming very loose clamps with a doubling time of about 18.9 h. The morphological, chromosomal, and immunophenotypic characteristics of the patient's tumor cells and PTLC‐1 cells were very similar. PTLC‐1 showed a monoclonal rearrangement of IgH gene and was highly tumorigenic in athymic nude mice. In situ hybridization, Southern blot hybridization and polymerase chain reaction demonstrated the presence of Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) genome in the patient's tumor and PTLC‐1. PTLC‐1 has been maintained in culture for over 60 months. Since EBV has been implicated in the pathogenesis of post‐transplant lymphoma, this new cell line should serve as a useful experimental model for studying the etiology and biology of lymphoma developing in organ transplant recipients