Abstract
The steady-state level of both RAG-1 and RAG-2 mRNA, the number of Pre- B cells, and the number of Pre-B cells expressing RAG-2 protein decrease in the bone marrow of old mice. These differences appear to be due, at least in part, to increased apoptosis of bone marrow Pre-B cells. To determine whether the age-associated increase in apoptosis reflects the impaired expression of the Pre-B cell receptor required for the survival of Pre-B cells, we examined the recombination of D to J and V to DJ in bone marrow from young and old mice. Both D to J recombination, which occurs early in the Pro-B cell stage of development, and V to DJ, which occurs just prior to the transition to the Pre-B cell stage, are diminished with age. These findings support the view that immunoglobulin recombination may impair the expression of the Pre-B cell receptor and may contribute to the increased rate of apoptosis of Pre-B cells in the bone marrow of old mice.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 431-434 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Experimental Gerontology |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1999 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Aging
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Endocrinology
- Cell Biology