Separation of human myeloma cells from bone marrow aspirates in multiple
myeloma and their proliferation and M-protein secretion in vitro
K Iwato, M Kawano, H Asaoku, O Tanabe, H Tanaka and A Kuramoto
Department of Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University, Japan.
Human myeloma cells were purified from bone marrow aspirates from patients
with multiple myeloma (MM) by Percoll discontinuous density- gradient
centrifugation, E rosette formation and treatment with antimyelomonocytic
antibody (Leu M1), plus complement. Thus, the purified cell fraction
consisted of greater than 90% myeloma cells, even when as little as 15%
myeloma cells were contained in bone marrow mononuclear cell fraction,
determined by morphological and immunologic examinations. With highly
purified myeloma cells from 29 patients with IgG type MM, biologic
characteristics such as spontaneous proliferation (3H-TdR uptake) and
M-protein secretion rate in vitro were evaluated. Both activities varied
among patients within stage I and III, and a 3H- TdR uptake of 255-24, 132
cpm/4 x 10(4) cells, and an M-protein secretion rate of 9 to 72
pg/cell/day, respectively, were recorded. However, in each patient, there
was no correlation between 3H-TdR uptake and M-protein secretion rate.
These results thus suggest that 3H- TdR uptake and M-protein secretion rate
of highly purified myeloma cells are independent biologic parameters, not
associated with the clinical stages, and the purification of myeloma cells
we describe can contribute to further studies on the biologic
characteristics and to understanding of the pathophysiology involved in MM.
Volume 72,
Issue 2,
pp. 562-566,
08/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology
