RPMI-8226 Cells

RPMI-8226 (ATCC® CCL-155TM)* cells are a multiple myeloma (MM) cell line originally isolated from the peripheral blood of a 61-year-old female plasmacytoma patient. 1,2 The cell line is a protypical MM cell line. It is part of the LL-100 cell line panel, which consists of highly characterized leukemia and lymphoma cell lines for which whole-exosome and RNA sequencing is available.3,4 

The RPMI-8226 cell line is considered a bona fide human myeloma cell line. It is negative for Epstein-Barr Virus,5 negative for CD19, CD20, CD11a, and CD49e, but positive for B-B4 and CD38.6 The cells display a mature phenotype consistent with the terminal stage of B-cell differentiation. The cells express high densities of PCA1 and Ki-1, but no HLA-class II antigens and typically no B-cell antigens.7 RPMI-8226 cells produce large amounts of secreted λ-type light chains, but no γ-, α-, or μ-heavy chains or inact immunoglobulins.1 

RPMI-8226 cells are widely used in immunology and immune-oncology research. Besides being useful for in vitro studies, the cells exhibit tumorigenicity in vivo in a number of immunocompromised xenograph mouse models.8-10