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Regulation of B lymphocyte development by the truncated immunoglobulin heavy chain protein Dmu
U C Tornberg1, I Bergqvist, M Haury
1Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Umeâ University, S-901 87 Umeâ, Sweden.
The development of B lymphocytes from progenitor cells is dependent on the expression of a pre-B cell-specific receptor made up by a mu heavy chain associated with the surrogate light chains, immunoglobulin (Ig)alpha, and Igbeta. A variant pre-B cell receptor can be formed in which the mu heavy chain is exchanged for a truncated mu chain denoted Dmu. To investigate the role of this receptor in the development of B cells, we have generated transgenic mice that express the Dmu protein in cells of the B lineage. Analysis of these mice reveal that Dmu expression leads to a partial block in B cell development at the early pre-B cell stage, probably by inhibiting VH to DHJH rearrangement. Furthermore, we provide evidence that Dmu induces VL to JL rearrangements.
The development of B lymphocytes from progenitor cells is dependent on the expression of a pre-B cell-specific receptor made up by a mu heavy chain associated with the surrogate light chains, immunoglobulin (Ig)alpha, and Igbeta. A variant pre-B cell receptor can be formed in which the mu heavy chain is exchanged for a truncated mu chain denoted Dmu. To investigate the role of this receptor in the development of B cells, we have generated transgenic mice that express the Dmu protein in cells of the B lineage. Analysis of these mice reveal that Dmu expression leads to a partial block in B cell development at the early pre-B cell stage, probably by inhibiting VH to DHJH rearrangement. Furthermore, we provide evidence that Dmu induces VL to JL rearrangements.