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Ig light chains are secreted predominantly as monomers.

J L Dul, S Aviel, J Melnick and Y Argon
J Immunol October 1, 1996, 157 (7) 2969-2975;
J L Dul
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S Aviel
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J Melnick
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Y Argon
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Abstract

Ig light (L) chains are secreted not only as part of assembled Ab molecules, but also as free L chains, the latter process being involved in the pathology of several diseases. The secretion competence of free L chains distinguishes them from free subunits of other oligomeric proteins, which are usually retained intracellularly. We used several techniques to test the idea that secretion of free L chains is dependent on dimerization. Coexpression of pairs of L chains, differing in only one amino acid, which alters the secretory phenotype, shows that these L chains behave independently: the wild-type chains are secreted, whereas the mutants are retained intracellularly. A survey of kappa- or lambda-producing cell lines by nonreducing gel electrophoresis shows that a negligible fraction of these L chains exists as disulfide-bonded dimers. Moreover, chemical cross-linking and density gradient centrifugation demonstrate that there is no significant pool of noncovalent L chain dimers. Noncovalent heterodimers can be detected readily between a kappa-chain and a chimera consisting of a heavy chain variable domain linked to the kappa-chain constant domain. This confirms that noncovalent L chain homodimers would have been detected if they were present. These findings about the association state of free L chains are independent of the host cell, as they are observed in both myeloma cells and COS fibroblasts. We conclude that L chain dimerization is a rare event that neither facilitates secretion nor is required for it.

  • Copyright © 1996 by American Association of Immunologists

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The Journal of Immunology
Vol. 157, Issue 7
1 Oct 1996
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Ig light chains are secreted predominantly as monomers.
J L Dul, S Aviel, J Melnick, Y Argon
The Journal of Immunology October 1, 1996, 157 (7) 2969-2975;

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Ig light chains are secreted predominantly as monomers.
J L Dul, S Aviel, J Melnick, Y Argon
The Journal of Immunology October 1, 1996, 157 (7) 2969-2975;
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