Expression of immunoglobulin synthesis in human myeloma x non-lymphoid cell heterokaryons: evidence for negative control.

Heterokaryons formed between human myeloma cells and various types of mouse and human non-lymphoid cells loose their cytoplasmic content of lambda light chains, a component of IgE produced by the myeloma parent. This loss of immunoglobulin content was observed regardless of the species origin (mouse or human) of the non-lymphoid partner cell, suggesting that the factors responsible for extinction of this differentiated function are not specific for a species. The kinetics of the loss of immunoglobulin content was essentially identical in the different experiments, since all myeloma X non-lymphoid cell heterokaryons were scored as negative after immunofluorescence staining for lambda chains 4-6 hr after infusion. Myeloma cells treated with inhibitors of protein synthesis (puromycin and cycloheximide) also lost their cytoplasmic content of immunoglobulin after 4 hr. These results indicate that the fusion of myeloma cells with non-lymphoid cells results in an immediate inhibition of immunoglobulin synthesis.