Internalization and processing of antibodies to surface antigens on human B cells. Monoclonal anti‐IgM antibodies are processed differently than monoclonal antibodies towards non‐Ig surface receptors

The internalization and intracellular processing of monoclonal antibody to immunoglobulin mu heavy chain (Mamu) have been investigated in two human Burkitt lymphoma cell lines (Ramos and Raji), in a human B cell lymphoma and in normal human peripheral blood B cells. In addition to the degradation of 125I-labeled Mamu to trichloroacetic acid (TCA) soluble material, a distinct pattern of larger 125I-Mamu fragments was detected in all sources of B cells tested. The particular fragmentation pattern, as revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis, involved the cleavage of both peptide bonds and disulfide bridges. This type of antibody fragmentation appeared to be a selective mechanism associated with sIgM, as no other degradation than that leading to TCA-soluble material could be detected after the internalization and degradation of radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies towards a variety of non-Ig B cell surface receptors. Three fragments of 125I-Mamu degradation were also detected in the supernatant of Ramos cells, implying that the recycling and exocytosis of certain 125I-Mamu fragments also took place.