Crosslinking of the cell surface immunoglobulin (mu-surrogate light chains complex) on pre-B cells induces activation of V gene rearrangements at the immunoglobulin kappa locus.
We constructed an expression vector encoding a truncated Ig mu chain that lacks both VH and CH1 domains (mu delta m chain) and introduced the mu delta m vector into the Ig negative Abelson pre-B cell line P17-27. The transfectants expressed a large amount of the mu delta m chain on their surface, which was not complexed with the lambda 5 and VpreB surrogate light chain molecules. While P17-27 transfected with a vector for the intact micron chain (P17-27 micron) shows V kappa rearrangements in culture, V kappa rearrangements were not detected in P17-27 mu delta m cells. When the mu delta m chains on the cell surface were crosslinked by anti-mu antibodies, V kappa gene rearrangements were induced in P17-27 mu delta m. These results strongly suggest that crosslinking of the micron-lambda 5-VpreB complex on the pre-B cell surface generates a signal that activates V kappa gene rearrangement, and that the lambda 5 and VpreB molecules are necessary for the spontaneous crosslinking of surface Ig on pre-B cells.
Tsubata
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T
Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, Germany.
Tsubata
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R
Reth
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M
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000502:physiology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000502:physiology*
D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell