Fig. (2) IL4 and CD40 co-stimulation induced long-term
proliferation of DLBCL B cells in vitro from DLBCL patients.
Of the ten DLBCL cases analyzed, tumor cells from four patients
showed continuous proliferation for more than two months, and two
cell lines (GDLB-GCB1 and GDLB-GCB2) were established from
these cells (a, b). These cell lines could proliferate for more than
three months and could be restored after cryopreservation. The
doubling time of the established cell lines of GDLB-GCB1 (from
the UPN1 patient) and GDLB-GCB2 (from the UPN2 patient) was
2.9 and 1.7 days, respectively. Abbreviation: IL-4, interleukin-4;
CD40L, CD40 ligand; DLBCL, diffuse large B cell lymphoma,
UPN, unique patient number.