Shedding of anti-IgM from antibody-coated human lymphoma lines: differences between Epstein-Barr virus-negative lines and their virus-converted sublines.

In vitro converted, Epstein-Barr (EBV) genome-carrying cell lines showed a reduced ability to shed surface-bound antibodies, compared to their EBV-free parental B lymphoma lines. On the other hand, antibody degradation was higher with EBV-positive cells. Analysis of antibody-coated single cells revealed that cells which failed to redistribute or cap their ligand-bound surface components at 37 degrees C, were also capable of shedding bound antibody. This suggests that capping and shedding are essentially independent phenomena, although both may be influenced by the same virally induced change in the lateral mobility of membrane constituents.