Immunoglobulin synthesis by neoplastic cells: models of a clonal transition from IgM to IgG synthesis.
Tumour populations from two B cell neoplasms were investigated for their capacity to synthesise immunoglobulin in vitro. Neoplastic cells from a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and an IgG lambda paraproteinaemia co-expressed surface IgG lambda and IgM lambda and synthesised both IgG lambda and IgM lambda in short-term culture. In the second patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the neoplastic cells expressed surface IgM lambda but synthesised both IgM lambda and IgG lambda in vitro. The findings are discussed in terms of a model for the clonal switch from IgM to IgG synthesis.
D000368:Aged; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000378:metabolism
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M