TRANSLATION OF ENDOGENOUS NON-IgG and IgG MESSENGER RNA IN HUMAN LEUKEMIC PLASMA CELLS AFTER TREATMENT WITH SEVERAL ALKYLATING AGENTS

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes translation of endogenous non-IgG and IgG messenger RNA in human leukemic plasma cells after treatment with several alkylating agents. During the clinical course of a plasma cell leukemia developed from a IgG(κ) plasmocytoma, the cellular protein synthesis and immunoglobulin synthesis were measured in cytoplasmic extracts from peripheral plasma cells. The observation that protein synthesis in these extracts could be followed up to 60 minutes and is blocked by aurintricarboxylic acid after a lag period of 5 minutes suggest that endogenous messenger RNAs are relative stable and were reinitiated under cell-free conditions. The cell-free products were analyzed on SDS slab gels and the relative synthesis of individual proteins was determined by their labeling pattern. The ratio of radioactivity in the immunoglobulin polypeptide bands was 2:1, indicating that an equivalent amount of heavy- and light-chain messenger RNA was translated. Additionally IgG synthesis was examined by binding to solid phase antibodies and protein A. The data from gel analysis, and from binding to specific antibodies and protein A showed that IgG synthesis shares 10 to 15% of total protein synthesis.