Accelerated Proteasomal Degradation of Membrane Ig Heavy Chains

Membrane IgG H chains turn over considerably more rapidly than secretory Ig H chains in the 18-81 A2 pre-B cell line. This rapid degradation occurs in proteasomes. N-Glycosylated membrane Ig H chains accumulate in the endoplasmic reticulum in the presence of proteasomal inhibitors, suggesting that retrotranslocation and proteasomal degradation of membrane Ig H chains may be closely coupled processes. Accelerated proteasomal degradation of membrane Ig H chains was also observed in transfected nonlymphoid cells. At steady state, the membrane form of the H chain associates more readily with Bip and calnexin than its secretory counterpart. The preferential recognition of membrane, as opposed to secretory, Ig H chains by some endoplasmic reticulum chaperones, may provide an explanation for the accelerated proteasomal degradation of the former.