title: Heterogeneity of aberrant immunoglobulin expression in cancer cells.
abstract: Accumulating evidence has shown that immunoglobulin (Ig) is 'unexpectedly' expressed by epithelial cancer cells and that it can promote tumor growth. The main purpose of this study was to explore the components of the cancerous Ig and its possible function. The presence of cancerous Ig in the Golgi apparatus was confirmed by immunofluorescence, indirectly suggesting that the cancerous Ig was processed and packaged in cancer cells. Western blot analysis and ELISA results indicated that cancer cells produced membrane Ig and secreted Ig into the supernatant fraction. The cancerous Ig consists of an α heavy chain and a κ light chain. Finally, by analyzing the Ig components pulled down by protein A beads, the cancerous Ig was found to be structurally distinct from normal Ig. The cancerous Ig was truncated or aberrant. Although the underlying mechanism that causes the abnormalities has not been determined, our current discoveries strengthen our previous findings and promise fruitful future explorations.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Duosha
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yiqun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Haidan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bode
authors.forename: Zigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology*; D018740:Genetic Heterogeneity; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains