Establishment and characterization of a human mixed-lineage, T- lymphoid/myeloid cell line (USP-91)

We report the establishment of a novel cell line from a pediatric patient with recurrent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This cell line, termed USP-91, showed both T-lymphoid cell as well as myeloid (ie, nonlymphoid) cell characteristics using a comprehensive multiparameter approach. The initial growth of this cell line was dependent on the presence of the murine stromal cell line, 14F1.1. Subsequently, a phenotypically stable, stroma-independent cell line was established. Although the recurrent biopsy material and the derivative cell line, USP-91, were clonally-derived from T-lineage lymphoid cells, as evidenced by the same rearrangement of the T-cell receptor-beta locus, USP-91 coexpressed both the T-cell antigens CD7, CD3, and CD4, and the myeloid antigens CD13, CD33, CD11b, and CD34. The myeloid features of USP-91 were most consistent with monocytic differentiation as these cells expressed alpha-napthol acetate esterase, lysozyme, alpha-1- antitrypsin, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, as well as the cell surface receptor for macrophage colony-stimulating factor. In addition, incubation in the presence of phorbol esters induced USP-91 to exhibit morphologic and functional properties of mature mononuclear phagocytes. The expression of this bilineage phenotype suggests that USP-91 represents the malignant transformation of a progenitor cell capable of either myelomonocytic or T-lymphoid differentiation.