Transchromosomally derived Ig heavy chains
- Loyola Univ. Chicago, Maywood, IL (United States); and others
During an immune response, activated B cells undergo isotype switching and begin to express isotypes other than IgM and IgD. Isotype switching occurs when downstream C{gamma}, C{alpha}, or C{epsilon} genes are rearranged into the S{mu} chromosomal region, resulting in the deletion of the region in between. These rearrangements usually occur in cis, i.e., intrachromosomally. In previous studies, we analyzed allotypic specificities of rabbit secretory IgA and identified a substantial number of IgA heavy chains with V{sub h} and C{alpha} allotypes that were encoded by V{sub h} and C{alpha} genes in trans. In those studies, however, we could not determine whether the trans association of V{sub H} and C{alpha} occurred during VDJ gene rearrangement or during isotype switching. Here, we cloned rabbit cDNA which encodes these trans IgA heavy chains and determined the chromosomal origin of the V{sub H}, J{sub H}, and C{alpha} regions. To determine whether the trans association occurred during VDJ gene rearrangement, we analyzed the nucleotide polymorphism of the J{sub H} region and the V{sub H} allotype encoded by the cDNA. We found that the V{sub H} and J{sub H} genes used in the VDJ gene rearrangements were from the same chromosome, indicating that the V{sub H}, D, and J{sub H} gene rearrangements occurred in cis. Furthermore, we analyzed the DNA polymorphisms of J{sub H} and C{alpha} and showed that the VDJ and C{alpha} genes encoding the trans IgA molecules were derived from different parental chromosomes. We suggest that the trans association occurred during isotype switching. This study shows that V{sub H} and C{sub H} can associate transchromosomally as part of a normal immune response. 34 refs., 5 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 99062
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Immunology, Journal Name: Journal of Immunology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 155; ISSN JOIMA3; ISSN 0022-1767
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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