Immunoglobulin production by a human-mouse somatic cell hybrid

The fusion of human lymphocytes and TEPC-15 mouse myeloma cells, which had not been adapted to culture, resulted in the establishment of in vitro hybrid cell cultures. Ten clones of this somatic cell hybrid were examined. There was preferential exclusion of human chromosomes: between two and five human chromosomes were identified in the hybrid clones by Giemsa banding. All of the clones had the mouse parental histocompatibility antigens, but only four clones also retained the human parental histocompatibility antigens. Secretion of parental immunoglobulin was determined by SDS-gel electrophoresis of species-specific immune precipitates. Synthesis of parental immunoglobulin by individual hybrid cells was determined by double label fluorescent antibody staining. Individual cells from six of the clones secreted and synthesized both human and mouse parental immunoglobulins. Three clones secreted only one parental immunoglobulin. Cells from one of these clones secreted and synthesized only human immunoglobulin. Cells from the remaining two clones secreted only one parental species of immunoglobulin but synthesized both human and mouse immunoglobulins. Finally, one clone did not secrete immunoglobulin, yet the individual cells synthesized both human and mouse parental species of immunoglobulin.     

Somatic cell hybrids of mouse myeloma cells and B lymphocytes from a patient with agammaglobulinemia: failure to secrete human immunoglobulin.

Somatic cell hybrid clones were isolated from the fusion of RPC5.4 mouse myeloma cells and B lymphocytes from a patient with common varied agammaglobuinemia. The patient has B lymphocytes that synthesize immunoglobulin but fail to secrete immunoglobulin. The hybrid character of the six clones was established by examination of metaphase chromosome spreads. Most of the hybrid clones expressed mouse and human surface immunoglobulin. All of the clones synthesized immunoglobulin of mouse and human parental origin. Mouse parental immunoglobulin was secreted, whereas the human parental immunoglobulin was not secreted. Human light chain molecules were secreted as part of hybrid H2L2 molecules formed with mouse heavy chains. Human heavy chains had a reduced m.w. in comparison to the mouse heavy chains. Kinetic experiments indicated that human Ig was synthesized in amounts that were comparable to the mouse Ig. Pulse-chase experiments showed that that the intracellular human Ig was removed from the cytoplasm, probably by degradation. These experiments demonstrate that the hybrid cells are an in vitro model of naturally occurring failure of immunoglobulin secretion from agammaglobulinemia. The failure of fusion with mouse myeloma cells to complement the secretion defect suggests that these B cells produce an altered immunoglobulin molecule that is not programmed for secretion.     

Genetic control of tumorigenicity in interspecific mammalian cell hybrids.

The nature of genetic control of cellular malignancy was investigated by examining the tumorigenicity of a series of interspecific mouse-human cell hybrids in the athymic nude mouse. Two highly malignant but genetically distinct mouse cell lines, A9 and PG19, were hybridized with three normal human diploid fibroblast strains, and 19 independently arising hybrid clones were isolated. Each of these clones was capable of forming progressive lethal tumors in the nude mouse, and thus resembled the malignant parental mouse cells rather than the nonmalignant parental human cells. We failed to obtain any evidence for complete suppression of tumorigenicity in these cell hybrids. The absence of suppression was observed regardless of the extent and composition of the human chromosome complements retained in the hybrid clones; the results of detailed cytological and isoenzyme analyses would make it highly improbable that the observed lack of suppression was due to cellular selection in vivo for a more tumorigenic subpopulation in the injected hybrid cells. These data demonstrate that at least for the parental cell combinations used in this study, no human chromosome, when present singly in the mouse-human cell hybrids, can suppress the tumorigenic phenotype of the mouse cells. Our results are consistent with the view that the suppression of cellular malignancy previously demonstrated in intraspecific (mouse × mouse) somatic cell hybrids does not occur in interspecific (mouse-human) cell hybrids, or alternatively, genetic determinants located on two or more human chromosomes are required simultaneously to suppress the malignancy of the mouse cells in cell hybrids derived from malignant mouse cell and nonmalignant human cells.     

Suppression of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Defective Intefering Particle Generation by a Function(s) Associated with Human Chromosome 16

Human-mouse somatic cell hybrids were made between adenine phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient mouse L cells and a strain of human primary fibroblasts and selected in medium containing alanosine and adenine (J. A. Tischfield and F. H. Ruddle, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 71:45-49, 1974). These hybrids were tested for the generation of defective interfering (DI) particles of vesicular stomatitis virus to determine whether or not a host gene controls the induction of DI particles. None of the seven independently arising hybrid clones tested generated detectable DI particles during 13 successive undiluted passages. In addition, the parental human cells also failed to generate DI particles. In contrast, the parental mouse cells generated a detectable level of DI particles during continuous passage. Thus, failure to generate DI particles appears to act in a dominant fashion in these hybrids. Human chromosome 16 and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase were present, as a direct consequence of the selection system, in all of the hybrid clones that failed to generate DI particles. It was the only human chromosome observed in the cells of every hybrid clone. This was verified by both isozyme and karyotype analyses. After hybrids were back-selected (with 2,6-diaminopurine) for loss of human adenine phosphoribosyltransferase and chromosome 16, they gained the ability to generate DI particles. Replication of DI particles already present in virus stocks, however, was normal in all of the hybrid clones and the parental human cells. This suggests that the induction, but not the replication, of DI particles is affected by the human genome and that a factor on human chromosome 16 seems to selectively suppress the mouse cell's ability to generate DI particles in the hybrids. These results support the idea that the induction of DI particles is controlled in part by host cell function(s), as suggested previously (C. Y. Kang and R. Allen, J. Virol. 25:202-206, 1978).     

The Locus for Human Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase on Chromosome No. 16

Evidence for assigning the locus determining the structure of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) to human chromosome No. 16 is presented. Hybrids of APRT-deficient mouse cells and of human fibroblasts having normal APRT were isolated by fusing the parental cells with Sendai virus, blocking de novo purine nucleotide synthesis with azaserine and selecting for hybrids that could use exogenous adenine. The hybrid clones that were studied had only APRT activity that was indistinguishable from human APRT with regard to electrophoretic migration and reaction with antibodies against the partially purified human enzyme. No. 16 was the only human chromosome consistently present in all of the clones, and in one clone, it was the only human chromosome detected. Selection against hybrid cells with 2,6-diaminopurine (DAP) yielded DAP-resistant survivors that lacked chromosome No. 16. One hybrid that originally had an intact No. 16 yielded adenine-utilizing subclones that lacked No. 16 but had a new submetacentric chromosome. The distribution of centromere-associated heterochromatin and the fluorescence pattern indicated that this chromosome consisted of a mouse telocentric chromosome and the long arm of No. 16. Cells having the submetacentric chromosome had human APRT. Both the enzyme and the chromosome were absent in DAP-resistant derivatives. These results suggest that the structure of APRT is defined by a locus on the long arm of human chromosome No. 16.     

Localization of the human alpha-globin structural gene to chromosome 16 in somatic cell hybrids by molecular hybridization assay

We have used 16 human × mouse somatic cell hybrids containing a variable number of human chromosomes to demonstrate that the human α-globin gene is on chromosome 16. Globin gene sequences were detected by annealing purified human α-globin complementary DNA to DNA extracted from hybrid cells. Human and mouse chromosomes were distinguished by Hoechst fluorescent centromeric banding, and the individual human chromosomes were identified in the same spreads by Giemsa trypsin banding. Isozyme markers for 17 different human chromosomes were also tested in the 16 clones which have been characterized. The absence of chromosomal translocation in all hybrid clones strongly positive for the α-globin gene was established by differential staining of mouse and human chromosomes with Giemsa 11 staining. The presence of human chromosomes in hybrid cell clones which were devoid of human α-globin genes served to exclude all human chromosomes except 6, 9, 14 and 16. Among the clones negative for human α-globin sequences, one contained chromosome 2 (JFA 14a 5), three contained chromosome 4 (AHA 16E, AHA 3D and WAV R4D) and two contained chromosome 5 (AHA 16E and JFA14a 13 5) in >10% of metaphase spreads. These data excluded human chromosomes 2, 4 and 5 which had been suggested by other investigators to contain human globin genes. Only chromosome 16 was present in each one of the three hybrid cell clones found to be strongly positive for the human α-globin gene. Two clones (WAIV A and WAV) positive for the human α-globin gene and chromosome 16 were counter-selected in medium which kills cells retaining chromosome 16. In each case, the resulting hybrid populations lacked both human chromosome 16 and the α-globin gene. These studies establish the localization of the human α-globin gene to chromosome 16 and represent the first assignment of a nonexpressed unique gene by direct detection of its DNA sequences in somatic cell hybrids.     

Gene order on the short arm of human chromosome 11: regional assignment of the LDH A gene distal to catalase in two translocations

Summary Leukemic cells with reciprocal translocations involving 11p13 and 14q13 were obtained from two patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and fused with mouse Ltk^- cells. DNA from independent hybrid clones was screened by Southern blot and hybridization to molecular probes for the human catalase and Ha-ras-1 genes. Several clones showed segregation of these two genes, indicating the presence of either the der 11 or der 14 human chromosomes. When DNA from these hybrid clones was examined for the presence of the human genes for calcitonin and γ-globin, both genes were found to segregate with the Ha-ras-1 gene and the der14 chromosome indicating that they lie distal to catalase. When the hybrid clones were examined for the presence of human lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH A) activity, only those clones containing the der14 chromosome expressed activity indicating that the LDH A gene is also distal to catalase on the short arm of chromosome 11.     

Assignment of the human gene for hexosaminidase B to chromosome 5

Mouse-human somatic cell hybrids between different mouse and human cells were studied for the expression of human hexosaminidases A and B activities. The expression of human hexosaminidase B in the hybrids was found to segregate concordantly with the presence of the human chromosome 5. Mouse-human hybrid clones containing either the human chromosomes 5 and 7 only or the human chromosome 7 only were also included in this study. Expression of human hexosaminidase B activity was detected only in those clones containing human chromosome 5. These results indicate that the gene(s) for human hexosaminidase B is located on chromosome 5. No hexosaminidase A activity was detected in clones which contained either human chromosomes 5 and 7 or chromosome 7.     

Restoration of radiation resistance in ataxia telangiectasia cells by the introduction of normal human chromosome 11

In order to identify the human chromosome which carries a mutated gene in cells from a patient with the hereditary disorder ataxia telangiectasia belonging to complementation group D (AT-D), we performed chromosome transfer experiments via microcell fusion. A single, pSV2neo-tagged chromosome, either 11 or 12, derived from normal human fibroblasts was introduced into AT-D cells by microcell fusion, and clones which were resistant to the antibiotic G418 were isolated. All 3 hybrid clones containing an additional copy number of chromosome 11 showed a restoration of the resistance of wild-type cells to killing by X-irradiation, whereas all 3 hybrid clones containing an additional copy number of chromosome 12 remained hyper-radiosensitive, like the parental AT cells. The results indicate that a defective gene of AT-D cells is also located on chromosome 11, since a genetic linkage analysis has previously suggested that a defective gene of its complementation group A is located on this chromosome.     

Expression of fragile X in human-mouse somatic cell hybrids

Fragile X expression was studied in human-mouse cell hybrids prepared from lymphocytes and fibroblasts obtained from a mentally retarded male. The patient showed a fragile X in 29-35.5% of his lymphocytes in medium 199 (M199) and in M199 plus fluorodeoxyuridine (FdU). One lymphocyte hybrid clone showed no expression in M199 and low expression in M199 + FdU. The other lymphocyte hybrid clone showed significantly increased expression in both media, comparable to levels in the parental cells. Fibroblast cultures from the patient showed no fragile X expression in M199 and 17% expression in M199 + FdU. Fragile X expression was also found in fibroblast hybrid clones in M199 and was significantly enhanced by the addition of FdU. Fragile X expression in one clone was consistently lower than in the other two clones and in the parental fibroblasts. Our results indicate that the level of fragile X expression varies in the hybrid clones, since frequencies similar to those of parental cells and suppressed frequencies were found. The presence or absence of a specific human chromosome did not correlate with the level of fragile X expression.     

Coexistence of expressed and non-expressed alpha-fetoprotein genes in somatic cell hybrids

Hybrids have been generated between mouse hepatoma cells, which actively synthesize alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and adult hepatocytes, where AFP production is shut off. These hybrids maintain an active synthesis of mouse AFP. Using a specific radioimmunoassay, we found that rat AFP production is not activated. Southern blot analysis showed that mouse and rat AFP DNA sequences can be distinguished and that hybrid clones possessing something close to the complete chromosome sets of both parents have retained both parental AFP DNA sequences. Thus expressed and non-expressed AFP genes coexist in these hybrid cells as if their expression were dependent on a cis-acting event.     

Assignment of the structural gene for human beta glucuronidase to chromosome 7 and tetrameric association of subunits in the enzyme molecule.

The structural locus for human beta glucuronidase is assigned to chromosome 7, a localization based upon concordant segregation of the expression of the human enzyme and the presence of human chromosome 7 in somatic cell hybrid clones derived independently from fusions of different human and mouse cells. Hybrid clones containing only human chromosome 7 are included in this study. Electrophoresis of beta glucuronidase also has revealed that human beta glucuronidase has a tetrametric structure.     

Assignment of the gene for adenosine kinase to chromosome 14 in Mus musculus by somatic cell hybridization.

Evidence is presented for the assignment of the gene for adenosine kinase to Mus musculus chromosome 14 by synteny testing and karyotypic analysis of mouse X Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrid clones. ADOK and two enzymes previously mapped to mouse chromosome 14, NP and ES-10, were expressed concordantly in 29 hybrid clones. Chromosome analysis confirmed this assignment. Syntenic evidence is also presented using several clones of a gene transfer system in which the gene for human HPRT had integrated into modified mouse chromosome 14's.     

Galactocerebrosidase activity in somatic cell hybrids derived from twitcher mouse/control human fibroblasts is associated with human chromosome 17.

Somatic cell hybrids derived from twitcher mouse cells and from control human fibroblasts were selected by two different methods. One method utilized 6-thioguanine-resistant twitcher cells as a parental line and the other used neomycin-resistant control human fibroblasts as a parental line so that hybrid lines could be selected in either HAT or in G-418 medium, respectively. The hybrid lines were analyzed for galactocerebrosidase activity. Since the twitcher cell lines are deficient in galactocerebrosidase activity, the presence of this activity in these hybrid lines depends upon the presence of human chromosome contents. Both galactocerebrosidase-positive and -deficient hybrid lines were analyzed for their human chromosome contents by the use of isozyme markers. In hybrids derived from both selection methods the expression of galactocerebrosidase activity was associated with the presence of human chromosome 17 marker isozymes. This was confirmed cytogenetically by means of trypsin-banded Giemsa staining of intact human chromosome 17 in three galactocerebrosidase-positive hybrid lines.     

Confirmation of the synteny of the human genes for mannose phosphate isomerase and pyruvate kinase and of their assignment to chromosome 15.

The synteny of human mannose phosphate isomerase and pyruvate kinase and the assignment of the genes for these two enzymes to chromosome 15 were confirmed by analysis of 43 independently derived human-mouse hybrid clones. Hybrids between mouse cells deficient in hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase and human fibroblasts carrying an X/15 chromosome translocation were also included in this study.     

Stability of the "two active X" phenotype in triploid somatic cells.

We examined triploid cells of XXY karyotype heterozygous for glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) electrophoretic variants with regard to the stability of their X chromosome phenotype. Clonal populations of cells derived from these human fibroblasts maintained a precise 1:2:1 ratio of A:heteropolymer:B isozymes throughout their life span, indicating stability of the two active X chromosomes in these cells. To determine the influence of the autosomal complement on X chromosome expression, we attempted to perturb the relationship. Fusion of these triploid cells with human diploid fibroblasts carrying a novel G6PD variant (B') resulted in heterokaryons exprssing a novel heteropolymer, presumably indicating that all three parental X chromosomes were active. However, no derepression of the inactive X chromosome was observed. Analysis of interspecific hybrids derived from triploid cells and mouse fibroblasts confirmed that activity of parental X chromosomes is maintained. Some human mouse hybrid clones, however, expressed only a single human G6PD isozyme, probably attributable to segregation of the pertinent X chromosome, but elimination of a relevant autosome cannot be excluded. The triploid cells transformed by SV40 showed alterations in LDH pattern and an approximately 10-20% decrease in chromosome number, but maintained the precise G6PD phenotype of the untransformed cell. These studies provide evidence for the stability of the X chromosome phenotype in triploid cells.     

Quantitation of the viral DNA present in somatic cell hybrids between mouse and SV40-transformed human cells

Recent studies of somatic cell hybrids between mouse cells and SV40-transformed human cells have demonstrated a correlation between the expression of SV40 T-antigen and the presence of human chromosome 7. We have used two types of nucleic acid hybridization procedures to detect and quantitate the presence of viral DNA sequences in the DNA of the hybrid cell clones. Results of reassociation kinetics as well as hybridization with a single-strand probe indicate that SV40 DNA is present only in those hybrid clones which both contain human chromosome 7 and express the SV40 T-antigen. SV40 DNA was not detectable either in the clones which had lost human chromosome 7, or in the rare clones which retain human chromosome 7 but which do not express T-antigen. We have thus extended the correlation between human chromosome 7 and the SV40 T-antigen to the presence of integrated SV40 DNA in somatic cell hybrid clones.     

Unstable and stable CAD gene amplification: importance of flanking sequences and nuclear environment in gene amplification.

We analyzed the amplification of the CAD gene in independently isolated N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate-resistant clones derived from single parental clones in two mouse cell lines. We report for the first time that the CAD gene is amplified unstably in mouse cells, that the degree of instability varies greatly between clones, and that minute chromosomes and highly unstable chromosomelike structures contain the amplified sequences. These data are most consistent with the idea that the amplified unit in each clone consists of different flanking DNA and that such differences engender amplified sequences with unequal stability. We also introduced the mouse chromosome containing the CAD gene into hamster cells by microcell-mediated chromosome transfer to determine whether the propensity for unstable extrachromosomal amplification of the mouse CAD gene would prevail in the hamster cell nuclear environment. We report that the mouse CAD gene was amplified stably in expanded chromosomal regions in each of seven hybrids that were analyzed. This observation is consistent with the idea that the nuclear environment influences whether mutants containing intra- or extrachromosomally amplified sequences will be isolated.     

Human chromosome 9 can complement UV sensitivity of xeroderma pigmentosum group A cells

A single human chromosome derived from normal human fibroblasts and tagged with the G418 resistance gene was transferred into SV40-transformed xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XP-A) cells via microcell fusion. When chromosome 1 or 12 was transferred, UV sensitivity of microcell hybrid cells was not changed. By contrast, after transferring chromosome 9, 7 of 11 recipient clones were as UV-resistant as normal human cells. Four other clones were still as UV-sensitive as the parental XP-A cells. Southern hybridization analysis using a polymorphic probe, pEKZ19.3, which is homologous to a sequence of the D9S17 locus on chromosome 9, has confirmed that at least a part of normal human chromosome 9 was transferred into the recipient clones. However, amounts of UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in the UV-resistant clones were only one-third of those in normal human cells. These results indicate that a gene on chromosome 9 can confer complementation of high UV sensitivity of XP-A cells although it is still possible that 2 or more genes might be involved in the defective-repair phenotypes of XP-A.