title: Overexpression of the bcl-2 oncogene in the mouse pre-B cell line SPGM-1 protects from apoptosis, but does not affect blocked B-lineage differentiation and lineage switch towards macrophage like cells.
abstract: The CD5(+) mouse pre-B cell line SPGM-1 is able to undergo lineage conversion towards a macrophage like cell type. Although one of the kappa-light chain alleles is rearranged in V-Jkappa4 configuration, no protein is expressed nor could the expression be induced. Infection with and expression of the human bcl-2 gene protected SPGM-1 cells from apoptosis, allowing the rearrangement of their second kappa-allele in V-Jkappa5 configuration. mRNA transcripts of the V-Jkappa regions were detected only in SPGM-1 x bcl-2 cells, but not in SPGM-1, while kappa-light chain protein was not found in any of the cell lines. The myeloid differentiation potential of SPGM-1 cells was not affected by overexpression of the human bcl-2 gene. Upon appropriate stimulation, SPGM-1xbcl-2 cells became enlarged, adhered to the plastic surfaces and lost their immunoglobulin mu heavy chain expression.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strasser
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wesche
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Resch
authors.forename: M U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Martin