Accumulation of immunoglobulin messenger ribonucleic acid in immunized mouse spleen.

We have measured the concentration of mRNAs coding for immunoglobulins, k and lambda type light chains and gamma 1 type heavy chain, in mouse spleen cells activated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide or sheep red blood cells. These mRNAs were quantitated by hybridization to radioactive DNA complementary to highly purified immunoglobulin mRNAs from mouse myelomas. In the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated spleen cells, only light chain mRNA accumulated, whereas gamma 1 type heavy chain mRNA remained unvaried. The light chain mRNA concentration also increased in purified bone-marrow-derived lymphocytes. The lipopolysaccharide-induced light chain mRNA was similar to light chain mRNAs purified from myelomas. The accumulation and disappearance of light chain mRNA in bone-marrow-derived lymphocytes coincide with the kinetics of synthesis of immunoglobulin M which is the major species induced by lipopolysaccharide. In sheep red blood cell stimulated spleen, the specific accumulation of k type light chain and gamma 1 type heavy chain mRNAs parallels immunoglobulin G synthesis. These results seem to indicate that the increment of immunoglobulin mRNA concentration in bone-marrow-derived lymphocytes is important for induction of immunoglobulin synthesis.     

Mouse immunoglobulin mu heavy chain mRNA of Y5781, a high yield myeloma.

The BALB/c myeloma tumor, Y5781, has a high level of mu heavy chain mRNA and kappa light chain mRNA, as suggested by denaturing gel analyses of poly(A)-rich, total polysomal mRNA, and confirmed for the mu heavy chain mRNA by kinetic complexity analyses. Both the mRNA coding for the heavy and light chains appear as very prominent and discrete peaks above the generally polydisperse background of the total polysomal mRNA. This mRNA level appears to be stable through a limited number of subcutaneous passages of this myeloma, providing a potentially useful system for mu heavy chain mRNA synthesis and processing. The mu heavy chain mRNA of this myeloma has been enriched to about 60% homogeneity by physicochemical means. In agreement with a previous report (Faust, C.H., Jr., Heim, I., and Moore, J. (1979) Biochemistry 18, 1106-1119), the following physical and biological properties were observed. The mature cytoplasmic mu heavy chain mRNA is 950,000 daltons, i.e. about 2800 nucleotides, and contains approximately 800 undefined, nontranslated bases. In an mRNA-dependent cell-free system, this mRNA stimulates the synthesis of a single, serologically reactive mu heavy chain-like protein, confirmed by tryptic peptide maps.     

Inhibition of translation of immunoglobulin mRNA in vitro using an alkylating oligonucleotide derivative

Effect of complementary oligonucleotides and their reactive derivatives on translation of mouse immunoglobulin G kappa light chain was investigated. It was found that oligonucleotide pTGCTCTGGTTT and shorter oligonucleotides complementary to the coding sequence of the mRNA (nucleotides 205-215) do not arrest translation of the mRNA in the rabbit reticulocyte cell-free translation system. Preincubation of the mRNA with the alkylating 4-(N-2-chloroethyl-N-methylamino)benzyl-5'-phosphamide derivative of the oligonucleotide completely suppresses the synthesis of the protein thus demonstrating higher efficiency of the reactive oligonucleotide derivatives as inhibitors of the mRNA function.     

Untranslated immunoglobulin kappa light chain mRNA in a lambda light chain-producing mouse myeloma, MOPC104E

Fourteen clones were isolated in culture from a mouse myeloma, MOPC104E. All clones had kappa and lambda types of light chain mRNAs in approximately equimolar quantity as assayed by hybridization with specific complementary DNA (cDNA). However, the myeloma produces and secretes only lambda-type light chain protein. Both kappa- and lambda-type mRNAs in these clones were indistinguishable from kappa- and lambda-type mRNAs of other myelomas with respect to (a) adsorption to oligo-(dT) cellulose, (b) molecular size (12.6 S), and (c) thermal stability of the hybrids formed with corresponding cDNA. The kappa chain mRNA of MOPC104E cells, however, was translated very inefficiently both in vivo and in vitro, whereas the lambda chain mRNA was translated efficiently. These results indicate that each cell of MOPC104E myeloma synthesizes a crippled kappa chain mRNA in addition to a normal lambda chain mRNA.     

Physical and biological properties of an epsilon-heavy chain mRNA and a kappa-light chain mRNA coding for rat immunoglobulin E

The mRNA coding for epsilon-heavy chain and kappa-light chain have been highly enriched from a rat IgE-producing myeloma, IR-162. Based on denaturing gel analyses, the 20 S epsilon-heavy chain mRNA has an estimated molecular weight of 850,000, equivalent to about 2500 nucleotides. The 14S rat kappa-light chain mRNA has an estimated molecular weight of 410,000, equivalent to about 1200 nucleotides. Only about two-thirds of the length of these mature cytoplasmic rat mRNA code for protein. The 20 S mRNA stimulates the in vitro synthesis of a single major serologically related protein which is large enough to be epsilon-heavy chain. It is unglycosylated and has an apparent molecular weight of about 62,000. The in vivo unglycosylated epsilon-heavy chain, obtained in the presence of tunicamycin, has an apparent molecular weight of about 59,000, compared with about 76,000 for the glycosylated heavy chain of the secreted rat IgE. Therefore, the in vitro synthesized epsilon-heavy chain protein is about Mr = 3000 larger than the in vivo unglycosylated epsilon-heavy chain, equivalent to about 25 extra amino acids. This is consistent with the synthesis of an epsilon-heavy chain putative precursor. Likewise, the 14 S mRNA stimulates the in vitro synthesis of a single putative precursor protein, which is serologically related to kappa chain, is unglycosylated, and is about an extra 20 amino acids. This is the first report on the physical and biological properties of an epsilon-heavy chain mRNA, as well as any rat immunoglobulin mRNA.     

Synthesis and glycosylation of the MOPC-46B immunoglobulin in kappa chain in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Polyadenylated mRNA isolated from MOPC-46B plasmacytoma, which secretes a glycosylated kappa chain, was injected into $\text{Xenopus laevis}$ oocytes. Analysis of the resulting product showed that [1-¹⁴C]mannose was incorporated into the MOPC-46B kappa chain. Light chains synthesized in oocytes injected with mRNA from MOPC-321 plasmacytoma, which secretes a nonglycosylated kappa chain, failed to incorporate label from [1-¹⁴C]mannose. Thus, protein glycosylation in the oocyte is apparently specific in that carbohydrate is incorporated only into the kappa chain synthesized as a glycoprotein by myeloma cells. It is thus evident that the general signals for glycosylation have remained stable during independent evolution of the amphibia and mammalia.     

Expression of immunoglobulin kappa light chain constant region in abnormal human cervical epithelial cells

Although it is generally believed that, under normal conditions, the only source of immunoglobulin is mature B lymphocytes, we recently found several epithelium-derived carcinoma cell lines also express immunolglobulin-like protein. We extended our study to biopsy samples of human cervical tissues with various epithelial lesions. By in situ hybridization, we only detected a low level of mRNA for the immunoglobulin kappa light chain constant region in epithelia with cervicitis. However, in epithelia with dysplasia and carcinoma, the expression of mRNA for the kappa constant region was markedly increased. There was no significant difference in the level of mRNA for the kappa constant region between epithelial dysplasia and carcinoma. The aberrant expression of immunoglobulin kappa light chain constant region in dysplastic and cancerous cervical epithelial cells may serve as a marker for malignant cell transformation.     

Induction of kappa light chain synthesis in 70Z/3 B lymphoma cells by chemically defined lipid A precursors

The murine B cell lymphoma 70Z/3 is a tumor line that resembles an early B cell. It responds to lipopolysaccharide by synthesizing kappa light chains, resulting in the appearance of surface IgM. We now demonstrate that this effect is triggered by the lipid A domain of lipopolysaccharide since a defined tetraacyl disaccharide 1,4'-bisphosphate precursor of mature lipid A, designated lipid IVA (Raetz, C. R. H., Purcell, S., Meyer, M. V., Qureshi, N., and Takayama, K. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 16080-16088), is fully active in stimulating kappa chain mRNA synthesis. In contrast, the monosaccharide lipid A precursor, lipid X, shows only slight activity; but a large excess of lipid X appears to complete with lipid IVA, partially blocking its effects. Mutants of the 70Z/3 line that are unresponsive to lipopolysaccharide also fail to respond to lipid IVA. The somatic cell system described here, coupled with the use of chemically defined agonists and antagonists, offers a new approach to understanding the early events in lipopolysaccharide/animal cell interactions.     

A comparison of apparent mRNA half-life using kinetic labeling techniques vs decay following administration of transcriptional inhibitors.

Several different techniques were used to determine the apparent half-lives of immunoglobulin gamma 2b heavy chain and kappa light chain mRNA's in mouse myeloma 4T001 and a mutant derived from 4T001, i.e., mutant I17. The mutant I17 Ig heavy chain mRNA lacks CH1 and has fused CH2 and CH3 domains resulting in a truncated protein. By all four techniques the Ig heavy chain mRNA from mutant I17 displays a half-life that is approximately 70% the half-life of Ig mRNA in 4T001 cells. However, the absolute values of apparent half-life varied by greater than twofold for both lines among several of the techniques employed. The half-life of Ig gamma 2b mRNA in 4T001 cells was found to be 6.4 h by measuring decay following administration of the adenosine analog DRB to block new mRNA synthesis and 5.7 hr by measuring accumulation in an approach to steady-state labeling protocol. In contrast, the observed Ig mRNA half-lives determined by measuring decay following administration of actinomycin D to block new mRNA synthesis, or in a pulse-chase analysis were 2.9 and 3.8 h, respectively. The apparent half-life for Ig kappa light chain mRNA was the same in the 4T001 and I17 lines using any one technique but the value varied depending on the technique from a high value of 5.9 h following DRB to a low value of 2.4 h with actinomycin decay. Approach to steady-state is theoretically the most accurate method to measure mRNA half-life when that value is less than the doubling time of the cells. Pulse-chase analyses are accurate for measuring mRNA half-life when that value is longer than the effective chase period. Measuring preformed message decay following administration of drugs to block new mRNA synthesis is adaptable over a range of half-lives, but the cells must be shown to retain correct RNA metabolism over the time frame of the experiment. Determining a correct half-life for a particular mRNA may not be feasible using only one method and may, in fact, require several different approaches until a consensus value emerges.     

Complete sequence of an immunoglobulin mRNA using specific priming and the dideoxynucleotide method of RNA sequencing.

The complete sequence of the mouse immunoglobulin kappa light chain MOPC 21 messenger RNA has been determined using a chain termination method and chemically synthesised deoxyoligonucleotides to initiate the synthesis of a DNA molecule complementary to the mRNA template. Five such oligonucleotide primers have been used for the sequence analysis of this messenger RNA. The approach is excellent for comparative studies of mouse k-chain mRNAs because they can be made on impure mRNA preparations. The MOPC 21 light chain mRNA is 943 nucleotides in length excluding the poly(A) region. An unexpected finding was that there are only three bases in the 5' non-coding region and its significance in terms of ribosome binding is discussed; 87 code for the precursor or leader sequence of the protein, 642 for the mature protein and 211 for the 3' non-coding region. The codons for the precursor region allows the previously undetermined amino acid sequence to be predicted. In common with other precursor regions a high proportion of the predicted amino acids are hydrophobic.     

Cell-type preference of immunoglobulin kappa and lambda gene promoters.

Immunoglobulin gene constant regions are known to be associated with strictly tissue-specific enhancer elements. Until recently the promoter of the variable region, which becomes linked to the constant region by somatic rearrangement, could have been viewed as a passive recipient of the enhancer stimulus. Here we show that the promoters of the immunoglobulin kappa and lambda light chain genes are approximately 20-30 times more active in lymphoid cells than in non-lymphoid cells. To avoid the problem of differential mRNA stability upon transfection of immunoglobulin genes into non-lymphoid cells we have constructed chimeric genes. All kappa mRNA sequences were progressively deleted to fuse the kappa gene promoter to a globin gene coding body. A similar chimeric gene was constructed with the promoter of the lambda gene. The cell-type preference of the promoter may be exploited during B-lymphocyte differentiation to regulate the immunoglobulin gene promoter independently from the enhancer.     

Isolation of messenger RNA for an immunoglobulin kappa chain and enumeration of the genes for the constatn region of kappa chain in the mouse

The messenger RNA for an immunoglobulin light (kappa) chain was isolated from the mouse myeloma MOPC41 and shown to be almost twofold longer than necessary to code for its protein product. DNA complementary to the mRNA was synthesized with the RNA-directed DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus. Although the individual chains of the cDNA² contained an average of only 270 nucleotides, the cDNA was heterogeneous in molecular weight, allowing the isolation of a fraction of the cDNA 620 nucleotides long. This large cDNA would be long enough to code for nearly all (95%) of the constant region if all the untranslated region of the mRNA were between the 3′ terminal poly(A) and the constant region. On the other hand, if all the untranslated region of the mRNA were at the 5′ terminus, this cDNA would code for 93% of the entire kappa chain.The specificity of nucleotide sequences in the cDNA was documented by molecular hybridization with both template RNA and RNA from various myelomas. The amount of hybridization obtained with myeloma RNA was approximately proportional to the amount of kappa chain protein produced by the various myeloma cells. In addition, there was no hybridization with RNA isolated from either BALB/c mouse liver or Escherichia coli.The genes for the constant region of the kappa chain were enumerated in the mouse genome by annealing cDNA to DNA from mouse liver and MOPC41 myeloma. The haploid genome of both tissues contained three to four genes for the constant region of kappa chain even when tested under conditions that would detect distantly related nucleotide sequences. The fact that there are only a few genes coding for the constant region of kappa chains implies that specialized genetic mechanisms are required for the generation of antibody diversity.