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Quantitation of β 2 ‐Microglobulin and HLA on the Surface of Human Cells
Author(s) -
WELSH K. I.,
DORVAL G.,
NILSSON K.,
CLEMENTS G. B.,
WIGZELL H.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1977.tb00393.x
Subject(s) - beta 2 microglobulin , major histocompatibility complex , human leukocyte antigen , mhc class i , biology , antigen , beta (programming language) , immunology , lymphoblast , histocompatibility , epitope , virus , cell culture , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , computer science , programming language
Beta 2 ‐microglobulin (β 2 m) participates as an integral part in molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) type. Absence of β 2 m makes the residual heavy MHC chain largely inactive as antigen. Striking reductions in the density per unit surface area of β 2 m in seven out of nine malignant lymphoid tumour lines in comparison with normal lymphocytes or ‘immortalized’ Epstein‐Barr‐virus‐transformed lymphoblastoid lines were found is this study. This would seemingly represent a specific reduction in the ability of the malignant cells to express actively produced β 2 m, since their HLA antigenic determinants were not reduced to the same extent and no indications were obtained suggesting that free β 2 m could transfer from one cell to another. However, that β 2 m is important in conveying serological specificities of MHC type to cells was shown by fusion of β 2 m‐negative and β 2 m‐positive cells, yielding hybrid cells with synergistically increased numbers of detectable, HLA‐related determinants. Whether the reduction of β 2 m on malignant versus nonmalignant lymphoid cells bears any relevance as to emergence of the malignant clones and resistance to possible anti‐tumour reactions would now be an issue for study.