Abstract
In attempting to relate immunoglobulin production to certain aspects of the neoplastic behavior of human lymphoid cells proliferating in vivo, we have analyzed the immunoglobulin cell products from 21 human tumor lines experimentally maintained in serial transplantation in neonatal hamsters. These lines were established in the neonatal hamster (usually facilitated by treatment with antilymphocyte serum) by direct implantation of cells from the patient, or after an intermediate stage in cell culture. Three lines derived from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (conversion from lymphosarcoma) which also produced leukemic manifestations in the hamster, did not produce immunoglobulins. In all other lines, these being derived from patients with lymphosarcoma (without conversion to leukemia), infectious mononucleosis, Hodgkin's disease and Letterer‐siwe's disease, human immunoglobulin components were detected in the serum of the hamster host by immunodiffusion methods. With rare exceptions H‐chain was accompanied by L‐chain, these components being specific for the tumor line under investigation and without variation as to the class of H‐chain and type of L‐chain detected throughout observation periods of as little as 3 months or as much as 2 years. One line showed a sequential deletion of both H‐ and L‐chains. In another line an H‐chain not usually present was detected for a short time midway in passage.