title: A study of the variable heavy chain (VH) region of membrane-bound Ig on human chronic leukemic lymphocytes.
abstract: Lymphocytes from 20 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were studied for membrane staining by direct immunofluorescence by employing anti-F(ab')2, anti-VHI, anti-VHII, anti-VHIII subgroup-specific antisera, as well as light chain-specific antisera. Some lymphocyte preparations were also studied in indirect immunofluorescence with an antiserum raised against a fragment (VH) corresponding to the variable region of the heavy chain of a human IgG3 myeloma protein (Kup). Lymphocytes from each CLL patient demonstrated a restriction of VH subgroups expressed on the cell membrane; six were restricted to the VHI subgroup, seven to VHII, and seven to the VHIII subgroup. This restriction gave further evidence for monoclonality of the membrane-bound Ig and the leukemic cell proliferation. Antiserum to the VH fragment stained closely similar percentages of CLL lymphocytes to that obtained with anti-F(ab')2 antiserum. Furthermore, double staining revealed that the same cells were stained with anti-VH antiserum as were stained with anti-F(ab')2 antiserum, i.e., only the B lymphocytes.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D006801:Humans; D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell