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Molecular Approaches to the Study of Human B‐Cell and (Auto)antibody Repertoire Generation and Selection
Author(s) -
LOGTENBERG Ton,
SSCHUTTE MIEKEE. M.,
EBELING SASKIA B.,
GMELIGMEYLING FRITS H. J.,
VAN ES JOHAN H.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-065x.1992.tb00831.x
Subject(s) - repertoire , library science , medicine , art , computer science , literature
We have shown that the restricted repertoire of VH genes expressed in second trimester human fetal liver is not solely determined by JH proximity. Furthermore, by following the fate of two VH gene segments in different B-cell repertoires, we have provided evidence that multiple factors contribute to the frequency with which individual VH genes are utilized. We found that the repertoire of adult blood IgM-bearing B cells contains a high proportion of B lymphocytes that express extensively mutated VH genes. Finally, we show that somatically-mutated variants of particular VH and VL genes that, in germline configuration, are frequently found in the early B-cell repertoire and in natural autoantibodies, encode pathogenic IgG autoantibodies characteristic of human SLE. These VH and VL genes harbor all the characteristics of an antigen-driven B-cell activation and selection process.