Expression of heavy-chain constant region of immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor gene transcripts in human non-hematopoietic tumor cell lines.

Expression of gene transcripts for immunoglobulins and a T-cell receptor was investigated in non-hematopoietic tumor cell lines using the highly sensitive RT-nested PCR method. These proteins are reported to be produced and secreted or expressed in malignancies originating from hematopoietic organs only. Originally designed PCR primers for different exons coding for the heavy-chain constant regions of IgM, IgD, IgG3, IgG1, IgE, and IgA and the T-cell receptor-alpha were used. All gene transcripts were detected in the 5 investigated cancer cell lines without exception. The results suggest that even non-hematopoietic cancer cells transcribe immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor genes and may produce the corresponding proteins.