Immunoglobulin gene expression in umbilical cord blood-derived CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells

• Ig genes were expressed in umbilical cord blood CD34+ HSC/HPCs.
• IgM was expressed in HSC/HPCs at the highest frequency and level.
• Ig gene expression in HSC/HPCs displayed restricted/biased VHDJH patterns.

Recently, immunoglobulin (Ig) expression was reported in a variety of non-B lineage cells, including myeloid cells. We assessed whether hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSC/HPCs) can express Ig. With Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) microarray database analysis, we found that IGHM was expressed with the highest frequency and level in umbilical cord blood CD34+ HSC/HPCs, followed by IGK@, IGHE, IGHD, IGHG1, and IGHA1, while IGL@ was nearly not expressed. Ig expression was further confirmed by molecular experiments and immunofluorescence. Moreover, HSC/HPCs-derived Ig displayed restricted/biased usages and VHDJH rearrangement patterns. These results suggest that Igs, especially IgM, may have a role in CD34+ HSC/HPCs function.