Radioimmunoassay methods were evaluated for immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M antibodies against Bacteroides fragilis antigen. Of 12 serum samples from patients with B fragilis infections, 9 had higher concentrations of immunoglobulin G antibodies than any from 11 control subjects. Of 9 serum samples from infected patients, 6 had higher concentrations of immunoglobulin M than any from contr...

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) encircles DNA as a ring-shaped homotrimer and, by tethering DNA polymerases to their template, PCNA serves as a critical replication factor. In contrast to high-fidelity DNA polymerases, the activation of low-fidelity translesion synthesis (TLS) DNA polymerases seems to require damage-inducible monoubiquitylation (Ub) of PCNA at lysine residue 164 (PCNA...

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) encircles DNA as a ring-shaped homotrimer and, by tethering DNA polymerases to their template, PCNA serves as a critical replication factor. In contrast to high-fidelity DNA polymerases, the activation of low-fidelity translesion synthesis (TLS) DNA polymerases seems to require damage-inducible monoubiquitylation (Ub) of PCNA at lysine residue 164 (PCNA...

Patients with congenital T lymphocyte deficiency disorders received transplants with parental bone marrow depleted of mature T cells by the use of an anti-T cell monoclonal antibody (CT-2) and complement. Our results with 16 consecutive patients (20 transplants) showed rapid engraftment of donor cells; cytoreduction (busulfan, cytosine arabinoside [ara-C], cyclophosphamide) was used in six tran...

Mutations in the gene encoding the common cytokine receptor gamma chain (gamma(c)) are responsible for human X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCIDX1). We have used a gamma(c)-deficient mouse model to test the feasibility and potential toxicity of gamma(c) gene transfer as a therapy for SCIDX1. A retrovirus harboring the murine gamma(c) chain was introduced into gamma(c)-defici...

Membrane immunoglobulin heavy chain in pre-B and in B cells is initially synthesized as a relatively hydrophilic protein that is nonetheless stably anchored in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. In B cells, but not in pre-B cells, the membrane immunoglobulin heavy chain is post-translationally converted to a relatively hydrophobic form that partitions into the oil phase when solubilized with t...

The functional maturity of T and B lymphocyte populations from human newborns was evaluated using a reverse hemolytic plaque assay to detect immunoglobulin-secreting cells generated in in vitro cultures stimulated with pokeweed mitogen (PWM), a T cell-dependent polyclonal activator, and the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a T cell-independent B cell activator. Cord blood lymphocytes failed to produce...

The autosomal recessive scid mutation results in defective immunoglobulin and T cell receptor gene rearrangement. The scid mutation occurred in the allotype congenic C.B-17 line, and up to 25% of C.B-17 scid mice spontaneously produce both T cells and immunoglobulin, a phenotype known as "leaky." Moreover, introduction of neonatal T cells into C.B-17 scid mice leads to immunoglobulin production...

We studied the arrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy chain genes by Southern blot analysis of DNA freshly obtained from marrow blast cells of 14 children with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) using probes to the C mu and JH gene segments: At least one of the C mu-gene alleles was rearranged in three cases. In two of these, one C mu gene had the germ-line configuration and one was r...