title: Molecular approaches to the study of human B-cell and (auto)antibody repertoire generation and selection.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Logtenberg
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Schutte
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ebeling
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Gmelig-Meyling
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: van Es
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000916:Antibody Diversity / Q000235:genetics; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell