Extinction of expression of immunoglobulin genes in myeloma X fibroblast somatic cell hybrids.

Adherent hybrids between immunoglobulin-producing mouse myeloma cells and fibroblasts do not produce immunoglobulin polypeptide chains. These hybrids retained the actively rearranged immunoglobulin genes of the myeloma parental cells but lacked immunoglobulin heavy- and light-chain RNA transcripts. We conclude that the shutoff of immunoglobulin production in these hybrids occurs at the transcription or early processing level.