Production of Immunoglobulins and Their Subunits by Human Tissue Culture Cell Lines

Summary Tissue culture cell lines established from Burkitt’s lymphoma tissue or from peripheral blood of patients with various forms of leukemia were examined for their ability to incorporate C14-labeled amino acids into serum proteins. Autoradiographs of immunoelectrophoretic patterns showed that the great majority of these cell lines synthesized immunoglobulin(s). The use of antisera specific for individual classes and types of immunoglobulins demonstrated a wide variety in the immunoglobulins produced by the various cell lines. The characteristics of the globulin produced by any given cell line were remarkably constant. Some lines synthesized more than one class of immunoglobulin, often IgM and IgG, though usually only one type of L-chain was produced. The immunoglobulins were frequently of restricted electrophoretic mobility. Analysis of culture fluids in the ultracentrifuge showed that in many cases subunits rather than intact immunoglobulin molecules were produced. Burkitt’s cell lines produced proteins of µ- or L-chain specificities, or combinations of these two, but never proteins with other H-chains. Cell lines derived from patients with lymphatic or myeloid leukemia, however, formed proteins of α-, µ- or γ-, and of L-chain specificities.