spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Junker, S.
Right arrow Articles by Matthias, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Junker, S.
Right arrow Articles by Matthias, P.

Journal of Cell Science, Vol 110, Issue 20 2579-2587, Copyright © 1997 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Extinction of immunoglobulin gene expression in B cells upon fusion with HeLa cells is preceded by rapid nuclear depletion of essential transcription factors and is accompanied by widespread inactivation of genes expressed in a B cell-specific manner

S Junker, M Lamm, V Nielsen and P Matthias
Institute of Human Genetics, University of Aarhus, Denmark.

When immunoglobulin (Ig) expressing B cells are fused with non-B cells, Ig expression is rapidly suppressed at the level of transcription, a phenomenon termed extinction. Here we demonstrate that fusion of HeLa cells with either diploid or tetraploid B cells (Daudi) results in widespread extinction of several other B cell-encoded genes that are expressed in a B cell-specific manner. In contrast, expression of B cell-expressed genes that are not dependent on cell-specific controls is unaffected. We show that the molecular mechanism(s) underlying Ig gene extinction can be explained, at least in part, by a lack of transcription factors that are essential for Ig gene transcription. These transcription factors are either not produced due to block of transcription of their respective genes (Oct-2, OBF-1, PU.1), or are rendered inactive posttranslationally (NF-kappa B, E47). By isolating Daudi x HeLa heterokaryons a few hours after fusion, we have studied the initial fate of two B cell-specific transcription factors involved in Ig gene transcription, Oct-2 and NF-kappa B. This report provides the first demonstration that upon fusion with HeLa cells, the nuclear contents of B cell-expressed transcription factors are depleted within a few hours with kinetics that are as fast or faster than that of Ig gene extinction. Thus, the extinguishing mechanism is effective very early after fusion. We suggest that extinction of Ig genes is part of a global mechanism that suppresses the differentiation program foreign to the HeLa phenotype.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 BloodHome page
T. Marafioti, M. Hummel, H.-D. Foss, H. Laumen, P. Korbjuhn, I. Anagnostopoulos, H. Lammert, G. Demel, J. Theil, T. Wirth, et al.
Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells represent an expansion of a single clone originating from a germinal center B-cell with functional immunoglobulin gene rearrangements but defective immunoglobulin transcription
Blood, February 15, 2000; 95(4): 1443 - 1450.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Cell Sci.Home page
J. MacDougall and L. Matrisian
Targets of extinction: identification of genes whose expression is repressed as a consequence of somatic fusion between cells representing basal and luminal mammary epithelial phenotypes
J. Cell Sci., January 2, 2000; 113(3): 409 - 423.
[Abstract] [PDF]


© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1997