BIOSYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF INTRACELLULAR IGDK IN A CASE OF CLL

Abstract

A [human] case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with diffuse intracellular Ig[immunoglobulin]D.kappa. is reported. No serum paraprotein or urinary Bence-Jones protein were detected. No surface Ig was found on the neoplastic lymphocytes, but the cells had receptors for Fcy and the C3 [complement component 3] consistent with other cases of CLL. Biosynthetic studies confirmed that the cells synthesized IgD.kappa. but there was no evidence for secretion of IgD into the culture medium. The cells did not produce Ig of any other class. The intracellular IgD occurred predominantly ad .delta..kappa. units with no covalent links between the chains. These findings are discussed.