Abstract
Transgenic mice carrying either the c-myc or N-myc oncogene deregulated by the immunoglobulin heavy chain enhancer element (Eμ) develop both pre-B and B cell lymphomas (Eμ-c-myc and Eμ-N-myc lymphomas). We report here that B cell lines derived from these tumors, as well as a line derived from v-myc retroviral transformation, simultaneously express surface immunoglobulin (a hallmark of mature B cells) as well as a common subset of genes normally restricted to the pre-B stage of development including the recombinase activating genes RAG-1 and RAG-2. Continued RAG-1 and RAG-2 expression in these lines is associated with VDJ recombinase activity detected with a VDJ recombination substrate. Cross-linking of the surface immunoglobulin on these lines with an anti-μ antibody leads to rapid, specific and reversible down-regulation of RAG-I and RAG-2 gene expression. We also find that a small but significant percentage of normal surface immunoglobulin bearing bone marrow B cells express the RAG-I gene. These findings are discussed in the context of their possible implications for the control of specific gene expression during the pre-B to B cell transition.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2727-2734 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | EMBO Journal |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1992 |
Keywords
- Down-regulation
- Eμ-N-myc B cells
- Pre-B genes
- Recombinase activating genes