Precursor B Cells Transformed by Epstein-Barr Virus Undergo
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Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 85, pp. 875-879, February 1988 Immunology Precursor B cells transformed by Epstein-Barr virus undergo sterile plasma-cell differentiation: J-chain expression without immunoglobulin (hnmunoglobulin gene rearrangement/transormation/X chromosome-linked agammaglobulinemia) HIROMI KUBAGAWA*t, PETER D. BURROWSt, CARLO E. GRossI*, JIRI MESTECKYt, AND MAX D. COOPERO§ Departments of *Pathology, tMicrobiology and §Pediatrics, The Cellular Immunobiology Unit of the Tumor Institute, The Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 Communicated by Marian E. Koshland, October 12, 1987 ABSTRACT Human bone marrow cells were depleted of polymeric immunoglobulin, is increased as a function of B lymphocytes to enrich for precursor B cells that could be plasma-cell maturation (4, 5). transformed with Epstein-Barr virus. Transformed immuno- The molecular details of this scheme of mammalian B-cell globulin-negative precursors either maintained their immuno- development have been deduced largely from studies of globulin genes in the germ-line configuration or had under- transformed mouse cell lines. To analyze changes in geno- gone DJ or abortive VDJ rearrangements (V, D, and J type and phenotype that occur during B-lineage develop- represent variable, diversity, and joining gene segments). All ment in humans, we have used Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) to cell lines and their derivative clones, even those with no rescue clones of early B-lineage cells. detectable immunoglobulin gene rearrangements, generated subpopulations of cells that produced high levels ofjoining (J) MATERIALS AND METHODS chain when analyzed by immunoprecipitation after biosyn- thetic labeling and by blot hybridization of cytoplasmic RNA. EBV Transformation of Early Pre-B Cells. Bone marrow Morphologic and immunofluorescence analyses revealed that specimens were obtained with parental consent from five J-chain production was confined to clonal progeny that had boys (ages 2-11 years) with X chromosome-linked agamma- exited the cell cycle to undergo plasma-cell differentiation. globulinemia (XLA) and from four fetuses (14-16 weeks of Analysis of cell surface antigens revealed expression of several gestation) aborted for reasons of maternal health. Mononu- B-cell maturational markers, including complement receptor clear cells from fetal marrow samples were depleted of sIg+ ype 2 (CR2) and plasma cell antigen 1 (PCA-1). Epstein-Barr cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) or by virus can thus transform B-cell progenitors, allowing them to "panning" over anti-Ig-coated plastic dishes (6, 7). The proliferate and undergo terminal B-cell differentiation coupled frequencies of pre-B and B cells were 5.2% and 4.0% before with J-chain expression. These events appear to occur inde- sorting and 7.0% and <0.1% after sorting; corresponding pendently of the immunoglobulin gene status of the trans- values were 8.0%o and 3.8% before panning and 8.3% and formed cells. 0.3% after panning. Wells containing p. + pre-B cells were infected with EBV produced by the B95.8 marmoset cell line During differentiation along the B-cell pathway, a lymphoid (8, 9). EBV-transformed cells were subcloned by limiting stem cell undergoes a series of somatic rearrangements of dilution (9). germ-line immunoglobulin gene segments to generate func- Immunofluorescence Analysis of Cells. Fixed smears of tional immunoglobulin heavy (H)- and light (L)-chain genes. EBV-transformed cells were examined for J-chain expres- The initial rearrangement brings together diversity (D) and sion by two-color immunofluorescence (10) using polyclonal joining (J) gene segments in the H-chain locus on both antibodies (11) and monoclonal antibodies (mAb). mAb chromosomes, and this is followed by joining of a variable NF-11 [IgGl(K) isotype], made against a V,, preparation of (V) gene segment to DJ. VL to JL joining may take place an IgM(A) human myeloma (12) and subsequently shown by subsequently in the L-chain loci (1). immunoprecipitation analysis to have J-chain reactivity These initial gene rearrangements to generate H- and (data not shown), was used with rhodamine-labeled goat L-chain genes occur in bone marrow pre-B cells and result in antibodies specific for mouse immunoglobulin (Southern the emergence of the primary antigen-reactive cells of the B Biotechnology Associates, Birmingham, AL) to detect J- lineage, the surface-IgM-positive (sIgM+) B lymphocytes, chain expression. Cells were counterstained with fluoresce- which are then seeded to the peripheral lymphoid tissues (2). in-labeled goat antibodies specific for human immunoglobu- These cells are small and have a high nucleus/cytoplasm lin (10). Viable cells were similarly stained for surface ratio, and their scant cytoplasm is nearly devoid of organ- antigens and analyzed with a FACS IV (Becton Dickinson). elles. Stimulation with antigen can result in their activation Electron Microscopic Analysis. Cells fixed with 1.25% and differentiation into plasma cells with abundant cyto- glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer (pH 7.5) were plasm containing a well-developed Golgi apparatus and washed, postfixed with 1% osmium tetraoxide, dehydrated rough endoplasmic reticulum. This morphological matura- with ethanol, and embedded in Spurr medium (13). Ultrathin tion is paralleled by a shift from production of the membrane form of immunoglobulin to the secreted form (3). Large Abbreviations: H, heavy; L, light; V, variable gene segment; D, amounts of immunoglobulin are then secreted by the termi- diversity gene segment; J, joining gene segment; C, constant gene nally differentiated plasma cells. The expression of joining segment; Am and A., H chains of membrane and secreted forms of (J) chain, a 15-kDa protein involved in the assembly of IgM, respectively; sIg, surface immunoglobulin; EBV, Epstein- Barr virus; XLA, X chromosome-linked agammaglobulinemia; mAb, monoclonal antibody(ies). The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge tTo whom reprint requests should be addressed at: University of payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" Alabama at Birmingham, T263 Tumor Institute, University Station, in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact. Birmingham, AL 35294. 875 Downloaded by guest on September 27, 2021 876 Immunology: Kubagawa et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85 (1988) sections stained with uranyl acetate/lead citrate were exam- limited subpopulation (8-22%) of cells within each of the ined with a Philips EM 201 electron microscope. clones expressed cytoplasmic J chains (Table 1). Biosynthetic Analysis of Immunoglobulln and J-Chain Mol- The morphology of the cells in these lines and subclones ecules. Cells (5-10 x 106) were cultured for 8 hr at 370C in 1 differed from that characteristic of normal or leukemic pre-B ml of methionine- and cysteine-free RPMI 1640 medium cells; a spectrum of cell types ranging from lymphoblastoid containing 10%o dialyzed fetal bovine serum, [35S]methionine to plasmacytoid morphology was seen in each clone. J (100 MCi), and [35S]cysteine (100 MCi; 1 1ACi = 37 kBq). For chains were expressed strongly in the cytoplasm ofcells with inhibition of N-linked glycosylation, cells were incubated plasmacytoid morphology but weakly, if at all, by cells with with tunicamycin (2.5 ,ug/ml) for 1.5 hr at 370C, washed, and lymphoblastoid morphology within the clone (Fig. 1). More- resuspended in medium containing [35S]methionine and over, in two cell lines examined by electron microscopy and [35S]cysteine for an additional 8 hr in the presence of immunofluorescence, the proportion of J+ cells correlated tunicamycin. Radiolabeled cells were solubilized with 1% closely (± 3%) with the proportion of cells having fully Nonidet P-40 in 0.15 M NaCl/50 mM Tris HCl buffer (pH developed rough endoplasmic reticulum characteristic of 7.4) containing 20 mM E-aminocaproic acid, 0.01% soybean cells with plasmacytoid features (Fig. 1). Cells within these trypsin inhibitor, 20 mM iodoacetamide, and 1 mM phenyl- null cell clones also expressed cell-surface differentiation methylsulfonyl fluoride. Solid-phase immunoisolation was antigens that are characteristically displayed by mature B performed in microtiter wells coated with a rat mAb to cells (e.g., HB2, ref. 21; CR2/EBV receptor, ref. 6; and mouse K chain and then with mouse mAbs to human J-chain HB7, ref. 22), activated B cells (BAC-1, ref. 23), or plasma or immunoglobulin-isotypic determinants (10). Antibody- cells (PCA-1, ref. 24) (Table 1). They also expressed HLA- bound molecules were dissociated by incubation with 2% DR determinants but did not express CALLA, interleukin-2 NaDodSO4/5% 2-mercaptoethanol for 30 min at 37°C, re- receptors, or T-cell antigens (CD1, CD3) in detectable solved by NaDodSO4/PAGE, and autoradiographed. amounts. DNA Blot Analysis. High molecular weight DNA from cell In contrast, J chain was not demonstrable by immunofluo- clones, placenta, and tonsillar T and B cells (12) was rescence in the spontaneously transformed pre-B leukemia digested to completion with restriction endonucleases, elec- cell lines 697 and 207, which are morphologically similar to trophoresed in 0.7% agarose, and transferred to Hybond normal pre-B cells (25), or in several established lines of nylon membranes (Amersham). The membranes were hy- T-cells (MOLT4, MOLT-3, HSB-2), myelomonocytic (HL- bridized at 65°C for 15 hr with nick-translated 32P-labeled 60, U937), or erythroid (K562) lineage. DNA probes: a 3.9-kilobase (kb) Bgl II JH probe (14, 15), a J-Chain Biosynthesis by Null Cell Clones. To examine the 1.3-kb EcoRI ,u constant-region (C,.) probe (14), a 2.0-kb Sac molecular nature of J chains produced by EBV-transformed I JK probe (16), a 3.6-kb EcoRI-HindIII CA2 (Ke-Oz-) null cells, the cells were metabolically labeled and analyzed probe (17), a 3.15-kb BamHI DH probe (a kind gift of S. by immunoprecipitation with a mAb to J chain.