title: The c-kit-encoded tyrosine kinase regulates the proliferation of early pre-B cells.
abstract: A monoclonal antibody (mAb; ACK2) recognizing the extracellular domains of the c-kit-encoded tyrosine kinase has been employed to demonstrate that c-kit is involved in B lymphocyte development. The c-kit-encoded tyrosine kinase is expressed on the surface of normal DHJH-rearranged murine pre-B cell clones which proliferate continuously at that stage in vitro on stromal cells and in the presence of recombinant interleukin 7. These pre-B cell clones, capable of differentiation to surface immunoglobulin-positive B cells in vitro and in vivo, are inhibited by the mAb in their proliferation while remaining capable of differentiation to surface immunoglobulin-positive B cells. Stimulation of mature B cells by mitogens is unimpaired by the mAb. This indicates that c-kit regulates early antigen-independent, but not late antigen-dependent, B cell development.
authors.affiliation: Basal Institute for Immunology, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rolink
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Streb
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Melchers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002999:Clone Cells; D015870:Gene Expression; D015326:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015851:Interleukin-7; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit