Faculty Bibliography

We have recently described a murine lymphocyte alloantigen, Ly-21.2, and showed that the gene which controls Ly-21.2 expression is linked to albinism on the 7th chromosome. In order to map the gene more precisely, we have studied the linkage of Ly-21.2 with two other genetic markers on the 7th chromosome, the electrophoretic variant of the beta chain of haemoglobin and glucose phosphate isomerase, in (A/J x C57BL/10)F2 mice. The results of these 3-point cross studies show that the gene encoding Ly-21.2 maps 27 units distal to albinism

The region of chromosome 2 between H-13 and H-3 has been shown to contain loci coding for a variety of other alloantigens, including Ly-4 and the locus coding for beta 2-microglobulin. Herein we show that Ly-6 and Ly-11 are coded for by genes in a segment of chromosome 2 adjacent to the H-3-H-13 region and that this segment of chromosome also contains the tightly linked loci coding for antigens Ala-1, DAG, H9/25, H-30, Ly-8, and ThB. In addition, at least one locus (and probably more) affecting susceptibility to leukemia induction is found within this gene cluster

Using a monoclonal antibody raised by fusing spleen cells from A/J mice, immunized with B10.A splenocytes and lymph-node cells, with a BALB/c myeloma, we have described a new surface alloantigen, Ly-21.2, Ly-21.2 is present in varying amounts in all lymphoid tissues, is not detectable in the brain, kidney, lung or erythrocytes, and is found in only trace amounts in the liver. Strain distribution studies showed that Ly-21.2 is present in all strains examined, including B10, except the A strain and segregation analysis of (A/J x B10) F2 mice showed that Ly-21.2 expression (1) is encoded by one gene and (2) is linked to albinism on chromosome 7. Studies performed on mice developing T-cell leukemia showed that, regardless of the etiologic agent, Ly-21.2 expression increases dramatically in mice with overt leukemia. In addition, preliminary studies suggest that expression of Ly-21.2 is linked to increased susceptibility of mice to Friend-virus-induced erythroleukemia

Susceptibility to radiation-induced leukemia in (A/J x B10)F2 mice is encoded for by genes in chromosomes 1, 2, and 4. The loci involved in chromosomes 1 and 4 are close to or similar to xenotropic virus inducibility locus on chromosome 1 and a locus-affecting expression of xenotropic MuLV envelope-related cell surface antigens. Radiation-induced leukemia-1 (Ril-1) on chromosome 2 plays an overriding influence in susceptibility to the disease. This locus might encode ecotropic viral-associated genetic information or might contain cellular sequences with oncogenic potential. These findings are of interest in view of the importance of recombinant viruses to leukemogenesis. Furthermore, it is intriguing that Ril-1 is located in a chromosomal site rich in thymus differentiation-specific loci. An explanation for tissue-specific activation of endogenous viruses is that activation of the virus in question is dependent on differentiation-specific steps