title: A somatically mutated V kappa IV gene encoding a human rheumatoid factor light chain.
abstract: The light chain of an IgA kappa rheumatoid factor (RF) produced by a hybridoma derived from a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been shown to belong to the V kappa IV family. This RF light chain has 31 nucleotide differences compared with the single V kappa IV germline gene reported for the human genome. The patient's V kappa IV germline gene was sequenced, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and shown to be identical to that previously reported. This demonstrates that the RF light chain is the product of a somatically mutated gene. A comparison with other known V kappa IV sequences shows that the RF light chain has more replacement mutations than most of the known V kappa IV light chains.
authors.affiliation: I. Medizinische Klinik, Universitätskliniken des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gause
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Küppers
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mierau
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000235:genetics; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D004247:DNA; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor