Comparative results of the mitogenic effects of polyclonal B-cell activators in different stages of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

In order to correlate the mitogenic response pattern of cultured lymphocytes with different polyclonal activators (PMA, LPS, SA, PHA-M) and clincal stage of the disease, the expression of cytoplasmic Ig, secr tion of Ig, modal cell volume, la antlgen, acid phosphatase activity and mitotic ndex were measured following culture twenty three consecutive patients wlth B-cell. The results showed that patients with advanced Ral clinical stages (III and IV) presented a more heterogenous stimulatory pattern, depending on the severity of their disease and mitoyen employed. Furthermore, whlle PHA-M appeared to be the most efflcient stimulator in the initial Rai stages of CLL, showing a close correlatîon with the high percentage of blood T celle, LPS mitogen was able to induce an optimal dlfferential pattern in terminal Rai stages only. However, in spite of the differences observed in the patients at different stages of the disaease, a consistent number of stlmuiated celle was found wlth all tested mitogens. Thls report suggests that a global evaluation of the attivation of the neoplastlc B•cell clone in B-CLL, should be achieved by the use of multiple polyclonal B-celt activators.