A model system for peptide hormone action in differentiation: interleukin 2 induces a B lymphoma to transcribe the J chain gene.
Physiological levels of a purified T cell hormone, interleukin 2 (IL-2), were found to stimulate a cloned murine B cell line (BCL1) to secrete pentamer IgM antibody. The peptide hormone acts at the cell surface via specific IL-2 receptors and induces changes in the 5' chromatin of the J chain gene that correlate with its transcription and with the production of the J chain protein required for pentamer IgM assembly. There was no effect of IL-2 on cell proliferation nor on mu heavy chain gene transcription. These results define a specific function for IL-2 in B cell differentiation. In addition, the IL-2/BCL1 system provides a model for examining the mechanism by which signals generated by hormone-receptor interaction are transmitted to the nucleus and regulate gene expression.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000502:physiology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
D002843:Chromatin; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2