Cytology of rheumatoid synovial cells in culture. III. Significance of isolates of epithelial cell lines.

Castor, Prince, and Dorstewitz (1961) and Neupert continuous cell lines described in the literature as and Sommer (1973) have reported the emergence of being from different human sources probably had a continuous cell lines in cell cultures from rheumatoid common origin in the HeLa cell. The most reasonable synovia. Hsu, Pomerat, and Moorhead (1957) noted explanation is laboratory contamination. Investigaheteroploid transformation in an epithelial cell tion along the lines used by Gartler (1968) has shown derived from a culture of knee joint synovium; the that the 'epithelial transformation' we have observed patient was stated to be free from malignant disease, in synovial cultures probably represents contaminabut it was not recorded whether the joint was rheution with Chang 'liver cells'. matoid, arthritic, or healthy. Chessin and Hirschhorn Nevertheless, we record our observations for two (1961) referred to a permanent cell line which had reasons. First, though these cells were clearly of the been established from a normal human synovial Chang (HeLa) type, they differed from the Chang tissue. cells we had in our laboratory and may have acquired Ford and Smiley (1973) found aggregations of additional characteristics by virtue of accidental small round cells in relation to fibroblasts in a co-cultivation with rheumatoid cells. Secondly, we synovial culture from a rheumatoid knee; these cells draw attention again to the dangers of inadvertent grew in suspension, were not adherent to glass, and contamination with cells, this time in the particular synthesized IgG and IgM. They clearly differed from context of cell culture applied to rheumatology. the cells described above and were considered to be B-immunocytes. It might be expected that the ability Materials and methods to grow continuously in culture would be a reflection of the presence of Epstein-Barr virus genome in the Synovial fluid cultures were prepared as previously cells; however, herpes-like virions were not seen in described (Mackay, Panayi, Neill, Robinson, Smith, the cells. Marmion, and Duthie, 1974). The other cell transformations, as distinct from Chang 'liver' cells were obtained from Flow Laborathatdescribed by Ford and Smiley (1973), were glasstories (Irvine, Scotland). These cells and the synovial tdh t 11 hoi fth ha'ateisti f membrane cultures, were prepared or passed by trypsinizaadhereonticellsshowingsmanycofmo the.haactrisgticeo tion; the same basic media were used for all cell cultures the continuous cell lines in common use. During the but calf serum, rather than mixtures of horse and calf course of work described in the previous two papers sera, was used for the Chang cells. The general procedures in this series, we have experienced three episodes of for handling cells followed the methods of Paul (1970). such apparent 'spontaneous transformations' in cell Chromosome preparations were made by a technique cultures from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. similar to that of McDougall (1970). Species identification In an investigation of the possible role of viruses in by cytotoxicity tests (Greene, Coriell, and Charney, 1964), rheumatoid arthritis these observations were initially or by the indirect immunofluorescence reaction, was done interesting for evident reasons, namely, the known with a horse globulin fraction containing antibody to ability of some viruses to transform cell strains of human lymphocytes (a reagent kindly provided by Dr. finite life int lines with indefinite growth poti. .Keith James, Department of Surgery, University of finite life into lines with indefinite growth otent al. Edinburgh). Cells were further identified at species level However, we were very aware of the results of by determination of lactic acid dehydrogenase isoenzyme Gartler (1968), who showed that the majority of patterns; the race of origin was checked by electrophoretic