Skip to main content
PMC home page
Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1980 Feb;39(2):371–385.

Presence of J chain in human lymphoid cells.

J Mestecky, J L Preud'homme, S S Crago, E Mihaesco, J T Prchal, A J Okos
PMCID: PMC1538056  PMID: 6771076

Abstract

The presence of J chain in normal lymphoid cells (examined at various stages of differentiation) and in lymphocytes and plasma cells from patients with malignant haematologie disorders was determined by the immunofluorescence technique. J chain was not detectable in the cytoplasm or on the surface of either pre-B or B cells, but was present in a few peripheral blood lymphocytes that contained intracellular immunoglobulins of various classes. After pokeweed mitogen stimulation, intracellular synthesis of J chain and immunoglobulins appeared simultaneoulsy and was most pronounced during early days of culture. These data indicate that J chain is not expressed during the earliest stages (pre-B and B cells) of differentiation of lymphoid cells and that the synthesis of J chain is closely linked to the production of immunoglobulin chains, irrespective of the class. Examination of lymphoid cells from bone marrow and peripheral blood of patients with various lymphoproliferative diseases (secretory and non-secretory multiple myeloma or Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia, H- or L-chain diseases, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, plasma cell leukaemia, and angioimmunoblastic lymphoma) revealed that J chain was present in various proportions of the cells that contained monomeric (IgG, IgD or IgA) or polymeric (IgA or IgM) immunoglobulins, as well as in cells from patients with H- or L-chain diseases. No correlation was apparent between the presence of J chain in lymphoid cells and their ability to secrete their product. Preliminary data indicate that J chain may participate in the intracellular assembly of immunoglobulins from their component chains.

Full text

PDF
371

Images in this article

374p374-a
on p.374
380FIG. 2
on p.380

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Beale D. A porcine immunoglobulin Fcmu polymer that has no J chain. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1974 May 10;351(1):13–20. doi: 10.1016/0005-2795(74)90061-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brandtzaeg P., Berdal P. J chain in malignant human IgG immunocytes. Scand J Immunol. 1975;4(4):403–407. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1975.tb02643.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brandtzaeg P. Complex formation between secretory component and human immunoglobulins related to their content of J chain. Scand J Immunol. 1976;5(4):411–419. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1976.tb00295.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brandtzaeg P., Gjeruldsen S. T., Korsrud F., Baklien K., Berdal P., Ek J. The human secretory immune system shows striking heterogeneity with regard to involvement of J chain-positive IgD immunocytes. J Immunol. 1979 Feb;122(2):503–510. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Brandtzaeg P. Immunochemical studies on free and bound J chain of human IgA and IgM. Scand J Immunol. 1975 Sep;4(5-6):439–450. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1975.tb02649.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Brandtzaeg P. Presence of J chain in human immunocytes containing various immunoglobulin classes. Nature. 1974 Nov 29;252(5482):418–420. doi: 10.1038/252418a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Brandtzaeg P. Studies on J chain and binding site for secretory component in circulating human B cells. II. The cytoplasm. Clin Exp Immunol. 1976 Jul;25(1):59–66. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Burrows P., LeJeune M., Kearney J. F. Evidence that murine pre-B cells synthesise mu heavy chains but no light chains. Nature. 1979 Aug 30;280(5725):838–840. doi: 10.1038/280838a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Buxbaum J. N., Preud'homme J. L. Alpha and gamma heavy chain diseases in man: intracellular origin of the aberrant polypeptides. J Immunol. 1972 Nov;109(5):1131–1137. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Chapuis R. M., Koshland M. E. Linkage and assembly of polymeric IgA immunoglobulins. Biochemistry. 1975 Mar 25;14(6):1320–1326. doi: 10.1021/bi00677a034. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Chapuis R. M., Koshland M. E. Mechanism of IgM polymerization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Mar;71(3):657–661. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.3.657. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Crago S. S., Mestecky J. Secretory component: interactions with intracellular and surface immunoglobulins of human lymphoid cells. J Immunol. 1979 Mar;122(3):906–911. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Della Corte E., Parkhouse R. M. Biosynthesis of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM). Requirement for J chain and a disulphide-exchanging enzyme for polymerization. Biochem J. 1973 Nov;136(3):597–606. doi: 10.1042/bj1360597. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Eskeland T., Brandtzaeg P. Does J chain mediate the combination of 19S IgM and dimeric IgA with the secretory component rather than being necessary for their polymerization? Immunochemistry. 1974 Mar;11(3):161–163. doi: 10.1016/0019-2791(74)90214-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Eskeland T., Christensen T. B. IgM molecules with and without J chain in serum and after purification, studied by ultracentrifugation, electrophoresis, and electron microscopy. Scand J Immunol. 1975;4(3):217–228. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1975.tb02620.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Eskeland T. IgM reassociation in Vitro: no influence of J chain on the amount of polymers. Scand J Immunol. 1974;3(6):757–768. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1974.tb01311.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Halpern M. S., Coffman R. L. Polymer formation and J chain synthesis in mouse plasmacytomas. J Immunol. 1972 Oct;109(4):674–680. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Hauptman S. P., Tomasi T. B., Jr Mechanism of immunoglobulin A polymerization. J Biol Chem. 1975 May 25;250(10):3891–3896. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Hijmans W., Schuit H. R., Klein F. An immunofluorescence procedure for the detection of intracellular immunoglobulins. Clin Exp Immunol. 1969 Apr;4(4):457–472. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Hurez D., Flandrin G., Preud'homme J. L., Seligmann M. Unreleased intracellular monoclonal macroglobulin in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Clin Exp Immunol. 1972 Feb;10(2):223–234. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Hurez D., Preud'Homme J. L., Seligmann M. Intracellular "monoclonal" immunoglobulin in non-secretory human myeloma. J Immunol. 1970 Jan;104(1):263–264. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Inman F. P., Mestecky J. The J chain of polymeric immunoglobulins. Contemp Top Mol Immunol. 1974;3:111–141. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4684-2838-4_5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Kaji H., Parkhouse M. E. Control of J chain biosynthesis in relation to heavy and light chain synthesis, polymerization and secretion. J Immunol. 1975 Apr;114(4):1218–1220. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Kaji H., Parkhouse R. M. Intracellular J chain in mouse plasmacytomas secreting IgA, IgM and IgG. Nature. 1974 May 3;249(452):45–47. doi: 10.1038/249045a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Koshland M. E., Chapuis R. M., Recht B., Brown J. C. Selective proteolysis of the J chain component in human polymeric immunoglobulin. J Immunol. 1977 Mar;118(3):775–781. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Koshland M. E. Structure and function of the J chain. Adv Immunol. 1975;20:41–69. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2776(08)60206-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Kownatzki E., Drescher M. Antigen binding and complement fixing activity of IgM molecules reassociated in the presence and absence of J chains. Clin Exp Immunol. 1973 Dec;15(4):557–563. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Kownatzki E. Reassociation of IgM subunits in the presence and absence of J chain. Immunol Commun. 1973;2(1):105–113. doi: 10.3109/08820137309022886. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Lebreton J. P., Rousseaux J., Fontaine M., Ropartz C., Dautrevaux M., Biserte G. Localization of J-chain and interchain disulfide bonds in a human F(c)5mu-like fragment. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1976 Aug 9;439(2):274–291. doi: 10.1016/0005-2795(76)90063-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Loyau G., Barré J. P., L'Hirondel J. L., Maniéce M., Preud'Homme J. L. Maladie des chaînes lourdes gamma. A propos d'une nouvelle observation. Nouv Presse Med. 1975 Mar 29;4(13):957–959. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Matsuoka Y., Moore G. E., Yagi Y., Pressman D. Production of free light chains of immunoglobulin by a hematopoietic cell line derived from a patient with multiple myeloma. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1967 Aug-Sep;125(4):1246–1250. doi: 10.3181/00379727-125-32327. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Meinke G. C., Spiegelberg H. L. Antigenic studies of J chain. J Immunol. 1974 Apr;112(4):1401–1406. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Mendez E., Prelli F., Frangione B., Franklin E. C. Characterization of a disulfide bridge linking the J chain to the alpha chain of polymeric immunoglobulin A. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1973 Dec 19;55(4):1291–1297. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(73)80034-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Mestecky J., Hammack W. J., Kulhavy R., Wright G. P., Tomana M. Properties of IgA myeloma proteins isolated rom sera of patients with the hyperviscosity syndrome. J Lab Clin Med. 1977 May;89(5):919–927. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Mestecky J., Kulhavy R., Kraus F. W. Studies on human secretory immunoglobulin A. II. Subunit structure. J Immunol. 1972 Mar;108(3):738–747. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Mestecky J., Kulhavy R., Schrohenloher R. E., Tomana M., Wright G. P. Identification and properties of J chain isolated from catfish macroglobulin. J Immunol. 1975 Oct;115(4):993–997. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Mestecky J., Kulhavy R., Wright G. P., Tomana M. Studies on human secretory immunoglobulin A. VI. Cyanogen bromide cleavage. J Immunol. 1974 Jul;113(1):404–412. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Mestecky J., Schrohenloher R. E., Kulhavy R., Wright G. P., Tomana M. Site of J chain attachment to human polymeric IgA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Feb;71(2):544–548. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.2.544. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Mestecky J., Schrohenloher R. E. Site of attachment of J chain to human immunoglobulin M. Nature. 1974 Jun 14;249(458):650–652. doi: 10.1038/249650a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Mestecky J., Winchester R. J., Hoffman T., Kunkel H. G. Parallel synthesis of immunoglobulins and J chain in pokeweed mitogen-stimulated normal cells and in lymphoblastoid cell lines. J Exp Med. 1977 Mar 1;145(3):760–765. doi: 10.1084/jem.145.3.760. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Mihaesco C., Mihaesco E., Metzger H. Variable J-chain content in human IgM. FEBS Lett. 1973 Dec 1;37(2):303–306. doi: 10.1016/0014-5793(73)80483-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Morrison S. L., Koshland M. E. Characterization of the J chain from polymeric immunoglobulins (IgA-IgM-immunological specificity-primary structure). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Jan;69(1):124–128. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.1.124. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  43. Mosmann T. R., Gravel Y., Williamson A. R., Baumal R. Modification and fate of J chain in myeloma cells in the presence and absence of polymeric immunoglobulin secretion. Eur J Immunol. 1978 Feb;8(2):94–101. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830080205. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  44. Mosmann T., Baumal R. Synthesis but not secretion of J chain by variant mouse myeloma cells which lose alpha-chain-synthesizing ability. J Immunol. 1975 Oct;115(4):955–962. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  45. Parkhouse R. M., Della Corte E. Biosynthesis of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM). Control of polymerization by J chain. Biochem J. 1973 Nov;136(3):607–609. doi: 10.1042/bj1360607. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  46. Parr D. M., Connell G. E., Powell A. J., Pruzanski W. A pathologic IgM occurring in serum as pentamer, dimer, and monomer. J Immunol. 1974 Dec;113(6):2020–2026. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  47. Pearl E. R., Vogler L. B., Okos A. J., Crist W. M., Lawton A. R., 3rd, Cooper M. D. B lymphocyte precursors in human bone marrow: an analysis of normal individuals and patients with antibody-deficiency states. J Immunol. 1978 Apr;120(4):1169–1175. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  48. Preud'Homme J. L., Hurez D., Danon F., Brouet J. C., Seligmann M. Intracytoplasmic and surface-bound immunoglobulins in "nonsecretory" and Bence-Jones myeloma. Clin Exp Immunol. 1976 Sep;25(3):428–436. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  49. Preud'homme J. L., Seligmann M. Immunoglobulins on the surface of lymphoid cells in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. J Clin Invest. 1972 Mar;51(3):701–705. doi: 10.1172/JCI106858. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  50. Radl J., Schuit H. R., Mestecky J., Hijmans W. The origin of monomeric and polymeric forms of IgA in man. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1974;45(0):57–65. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4613-4550-3_7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  51. Sarasombath S., Mestecky J., Skvaril F. Monoclonal IgG3-kappa and IgG1-lambda proteins with different idiotypic determinants present in a single patient. Clin Exp Immunol. 1977 Jul;29(1):67–74. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  52. Stott D. I. Biosynthesis and assembly of IgM. Addition of J chain to intracellular pools of 8S and 19S IgM. Immunochemistry. 1976 Feb;13(2):157–163. doi: 10.1016/0019-2791(76)90284-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  53. Tomasi T. B., Czerwinski D. S. Naturally occurring polymers of IgA lacking J chain. Scand J Immunol. 1976;5(6-7):647–653. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1976.tb03014.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  54. Vogler L. B., Crist W. M., Bockman D. E., Pearl E. R., Lawton A. R., Cooper M. D. Pre-B-cell leukemia. A new phenotype of childhood lymphoblastic leukemia. N Engl J Med. 1978 Apr 20;298(16):872–878. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197804202981603. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  55. Weber K., Osborn M. The reliability of molecular weight determinations by dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. J Biol Chem. 1969 Aug 25;244(16):4406–4412. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  56. Wilde C. E., 3rd, Koshland M. E. Molecular size and shape of the J chain from polymeric immunoglobulins. Biochemistry. 1973 Aug 14;12(17):3218–3224. doi: 10.1021/bi00741a012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical and Experimental Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES