Are T-cell lymphomas immunocompetent?

Abstract

TUMOURS of the lymphoid system are generally assumed to be ‘frozen’ in permanent states of differentiation and cellular activation. However, we show here that thymic lymphoma cells of at least one cell line maintain their immunocompetence and can be specifically activated on contact with antigen in a manner analogous to that of normal, non-transformed T cells. Although T cells are known to express antigen binding receptors consisting in part of antibody variable regions^1,2 which may be translated from mRNA in the cytoplasm³, the mechanisms controlling the induction of these V-region genes remain unknown. Furthermore, the events controlling the antigen-dependent activation of T cells expressing specific receptors are poorly understood, due largely to the unavailability of homogeneous monoclonal T cells. It is likely that the production of antigen-specific T-cell lines will be useful for investigations into the molecular biology of T-cell activation and differentiation, just as the myelomas have been indispensable in elucidating B-cell function and control.