IgM secreted by human T lymphoma virus-I-infected and transformed human B cell clones recognize a 66-kilodalton host-encoded protein.
It has previously been determined that transformed human B cells may be infected by and retain integrated human T cell lymphotropic virus, type I (HTLV-I). Although HTLV-I is primarily associated with transformation of human T lymphocytes, immortalized B cell populations have arisen after cocultivation of normal B cells and irradiated HTLV-I-infected T cells. To test whether HTLV-I infection might be involved in this B cell transformation process, we characterized five independent HTLV-I-infected and -immortalized human B cell clones. All five clones contained clonal HTLV-I integrations, expressed cell surface IgM, and secreted IgM in quantities varying from 0.1 to 4.0 micrograms/ml. Immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled cell lysates failed to detect synthesis of HTLV-I gag, env, or tat gene products, and cellular RNA dot blot analysis detected varying levels of HTLV-I gene transcripts in only three of the five clones. The secreted IgM from culture supernatants were affinity purified, and were found to selectively immunoprecipitate an acidic protein (isoelectric point = 5.0) of 66,000 m.w. (p66) from purified radioiodinated HTLV-I virions. This p66 copurified with metabolically labelled HTLV-I-infected B cell IgM from HKA-3 cells. Although HTLV-I RNA transcripts were present at low levels, the absence of HTLV-I proteins in HKA-3 cells made it unlikely that p66 was related to the major HTLV-I envelope glycoprotein, gp62. Anti-idiotypic mAb directed against the IgM produced by one B cell clone (HKA-3), as well as purified HTLV-I virions (containing p66), stimulated HKA-3 cell proliferation. Preincubating the anti-Id antibody or HTLV-I with excess HKA-3 IgM abolished the binding of either to HKA-3 cells. These data suggest that HTLV-I infected cells produce a cellular protein (p66), which is incorporated into and copurifies with HTLV-I virions, and which in at least one case (HKA-3) may act as a mitogenic stimulus, potentially contributing to the HTLV-I mediated transformation process.
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VL
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
Rainer
C
C
Oliver
M R
MR
Marsh
J
J
Wood
P
P
Reyes
G R
GR
McGrath
M S
MS
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000502:physiology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000502:physiology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002455:Cell Division; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D008970:Molecular Weight; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014771:Virion / Q000502:physiology
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D014764:Viral Proteins; C044203:anti-IgM