Kappa light chains

NF-xB, originally defined as the enhancer of kappa light-chain expression in B lymphocytes, is a hcterodimeric protein that can rapidly activate several genes associated with the inflammatory process (reviewed by Schreck et al., 1992). The DNA binding, nuclear form, of NF-xB is a heterodimer composed of one Rel-A (65 kD) and one p50 (50 kD) subunit. However, both subunits can form homodimers that also have DNA-binding activity. The inactive form of NF-xB in non-stimulated cells is localized to the cytoplasm of resting cells, and is bound to its inhibitor IxB. 

Blackwell, T.K., Malynn, B.A., Pollock, R.R., Fenier, P., Covey, L.R., Fulop, G.M., Phillips, R.A., Yancopoulos, G.D., Alt F.W. (1989). Isolation of scid pre-B cells that rearrange kappa light chain genes formation of normal signal and abnormal coding joins. EMBO J. 8,735-742. 

Faust, C.H., Diggelmann, H., Mach, B. (1974). Estimation of the number of genes coding for the constant part of the mouse immunoglobulin kappa light chain. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 71, 2491-2495. 

Lee, S.K., Bridges, S.L., Jr., Koopman, W.J., Schroeder, H.W., Jr. (1992). The immunoglobulin kappa light chain repertoire expressed in the synovium of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 35,905-913. 

Schupp, I.W., Schlake, T., Kirschbaum, T., Zachau, H.G., Boehm, T. (1997). A yeast artificial chromosome contig spanning the mouse immunoglobulin kappa light chain locus. Immunogenet-ics 45, 180-187. 

Steinmetz, M., Zachau, H.G., Mach, B. (1979). Cloning of immunoglobulin kappa light chain genes from mouse liver and myeloma MOPC 173. Nucleic Acids Res. 6,3213-3229. 

Figure 1. Sequential double staining method performed with the EnVision G 2 Doublestain Kit using polyclonal anti-kappa light chains (red) and polyclonal anti-lambda light chains (brown) as primary antibodies. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from tonsils.

Figure 5. Undesirable staining of plasma proteins with antibody to kappa light chain. Plasma cells stain specifically.

NF-kB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells) is a protein complex that acts as a transcription factor. It is found in almost all animal cell types and is involved in cellular responses to stimuli such as stress, cytokines, free radicals, UV radiation, oxidised lipoproteins and bacterial or viral antigens. It plays a key role in regulating the immune response to infection. Consistent with this role, incorrect regulation of NF-/cB has been linked to cancer, inflammatory and automunune disease, septic shock, viral infection and improper immune development. 

Anti-type III pneumococcal polysaccharide O Anti-type VIII pneumococcal polysaccharide Anti-streptococcal group A variant carbohydrate A Anti-streptococcal group C carbohydrate + Anti-p-azophenylarsonate x Anti-Micrococcus lysodeikticus " Mouse kappa light chain. c Human kappa light chain subgroup IV. d K9-335 has an identical sequence as K9-338. 

S. Deret, L. Denoroy, M. Lamarine, R. Vidal, B. Mougenot, B. Frangione, F. J. Stevens, P. M. Ronco, P. Aucouturier. Kappa light chain-associated Fanconi s syndrome molecular analysis of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains from patients with and without intracellular crystals. Protein Eng. 1999, 12, 363-369. 

Nilson BH, Solomon A, Bjorck L, Akerstrom B Protein L from Peptostreptococcus magnus binds to the kappa light chain variable domain. J Biol Chem 1992 267 2234-2239. 

FIGURE 6.4 Lambda (A) and kappa (B) immunoglobulin light chain antibodies demonstrate the clear monotypia of the plasma cells in this multiple myeloma. Kappa light chain mRNA in situ hybrization (C) and lambda light chain mRNA (D). 

FIGURE 11.29 Monotypic labeling for lambda light-chain immunoglobulin (A) and negativity for kappa light-chain (B) in primary plasmacytoma (C) of the mediastinum. 

Protein L is another protein that can be used for antibody purification as it binds kappa light chains (see Note 4). Mannan Binding Protein (MBP) and jacalin (extracted from Jackfruit) bind fairly specifically to mouse or human IgM and human IgA... 

The eukaryotic transcription factor NF-kB was identified as a protein that binds specifically to a decameric DNA sequence (ggg ACT TTC C), within the intronic enhancer of the immunoglobulin kappa light chain in mature B and plasma cells, but not pre-B cells [32, 33]. This transcription factor consists of homo- or heterodimers of different subunits which are members of a family of structurally related proteins (Rel/NF-icB proteins). NF-kB has been detected in most cell types, and specific NF-kB binding sites have been identified in promoters and enhancers of numerous inducible genes. Thus, it has been shown that NF-kB plays a pivotal role in the coordinated transactivation of many genes involved in cytokine-mediated inflammation. 

K31. Kruger, M. G., Riley, R. L., Riley, E. A., and Elia, J. M. Bone marrow stromal cells modulate both kappa light chain and Ly 1 antigen expression on Lyl+ pre-B cell lines in vitro. Blood 76, 383-392 (1990). 

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