Silencing of the expression of the immunoglobulin kappa gene in non-B cells

Mol Cell Biol. 1991 Mar;11(3):1431-7. doi: 10.1128/mcb.11.3.1431-1437.1991.

Abstract

Although the activating factor NF-kappa B can be present in the nucleus of many cell types, transcription and rearrangement of the immunoglobulin kappa chain gene is restricted to cells of the B lineage. Part of this specificity is determined by sequences within the major intron of the kappa gene that specifically silence gene expression in non-B cells (T cells and HeLa cells). These sequences are found in a 232-bp fragment located 5' of the NF-kappa B binding sequence of the enhancer. When this fragment is added back upstream of an active NF-kappa B site, it specifically decreases the expression of a linked gene by more than 10-fold in activated T cells but it has no effect on expression in B cells. The kappa silencer region acts in an orientation- and distance-independent manner and appears to be composed of multiple negative elements. The kappa silencer may act to restrict transcription and rearrangement of the C kappa locus to cells of the B lineage.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / physiology
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / genetics*
  • Introns
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid*
  • T-Lymphocytes / physiology*

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains