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-Interferon Receptors in Malignant B-Cells from Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Relation to Induction of 2'-5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase and Blast Transformation¹

Radiumhemmet, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm [L. Ö., D. G., S. E.]; Division of Clinical Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Huddinge Hospital, Huddinge [G. J., K-H. R.]; and Unit of Cell and Molecular Biology, Umeà [E. L.], Sweden

-Interferon (IFN-) induces blast transformation of malignant B-cells from approximately 65% of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients. We have shown previously that induction of blast transformation correlates with induction of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase. In this paper we address the question of whether low responsiveness to IFN- is associated with a reduced expression of the IFN receptor.

IFN- receptor expression was studied by the binding of radioiodinated IFN- to peripheral blood malignant B-cells from 20 chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients and to blood cells from 5 healthy donors. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells from all 20 patients displayed high affinity IFN- receptors [mean K_d, 62 ± 9 (SE) pM] ranging between 110 and 850 binding sites/cell [mean, 416 ± 51]. Nonmalignant mononuclear blood cells showed similar binding data (411 ± 105 binding sites/cell; K_d 66 ± 20 pM). Receptor expression did not correlate with the degree of blast transformation or with induction of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase. We conclude that the deficiency in IFN sensitivity is localized somewhere between signal transduction from the receptor and induction of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase.

¹ This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Cancer Society, the Cancer Society of Stockholm, KabiVitrum and SkandiGen AB, Stockholm.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 7/18/88. Revised 1/18/89. Accepted 2/ 7/89.