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A majority of Ig H chain cDNA of normal human adult blood lymphocytes resembles cDNA for fetal Ig and natural autoantibodies

Journal Article · · Journal of Immunology; (United States)
OSTI ID:7076258
;  [1]
  1. Tufts Univ. School of Medicine, Boston, MA (United States)
Certain Ig V[sub H] gene segments, with few or no mutations, recur frequently in natural autoantibodies, fetal antibodies, and products of B cell tumors. The goal of this study was to determine whether similar Ig gene segment usage occurs in normal human adult PBL. Extending previous analyses, 105 randomly picked H chain V region clones of representative cDNA libraries from PBL were sequenced. Clones were from: IgM and IgG libraries from one RNA sample of a normal adult; a second IgM library from the same subject 11 mo later; and one IgM library from a second subject. Although some clones had clear evidence of mutation, 48 of 77 IgM clones (62%) shared 99% or more identity with known germline V[sub H] segments, and most of these had no mutations in the CDR3 portion of the J[sub H] segment. Certain V[sub H] gene segments, expressed in autoantibodies and fetal antibodies, occurred at high frequency in these libraries. Fourteen of the clones with 99% identity to known V[sub H] segments had CDR3 segments identical to portions of known germline D[sub H] gene sequences; two such clones had no N nucleotides at the V[sub H] D[sub H] or D[sub H]J[sub H] junctions. IgG-encoding sequences had more mutations than IgM-encoding sequences. J[sub H] and D[sub H] usage was not random. The circulating B cell population may represent a distinct compartment, with a large proportion of cells similar to those of the fetal and natural autoantibody repertoire. Polyreactive Ig products of these circulating cells may serve a screening function, binding and delivering diverse Ag to secondary lymphoid tissues where more highly selective antibodies are formed to foreign or Self-Ag. 40 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.
OSTI ID:
7076258
Journal Information:
Journal of Immunology; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Immunology; (United States) Vol. 151:10; ISSN 0022-1767; ISSN JOIMA3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English