Immunoglobulin heavy chain toxicity in plasma cells is neutralized by fusion to pre-B cells.
A plasma cell hybridoma frequently loses its immunoglobulin heavy (H) chain spontaneously but rarely is production of its light (L) chain lost. Upon fusion to a pre-B-cell hybridoma that produces no Ig chain, the L chain is frequently lost. In cells without the L chain the H chain, which is derived from the plasma cell, is not chemically modified. Our results indicate that, in pre-B cells, but not in plasma cells, there must be a mechanism that neutralizes the toxic effect of free H chain.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000502:physiology*; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000502:physiology*
D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains