Immunoglobulin VH gene expression in human B cell lines and tumors: biased VH gene expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
We have studied frequencies of VH gene utilization in a panel of monoclonal Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B cell lines derived from human adult and fetal tissues as well as in monoclonal B cells obtained from fresh chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) samples. The results show that IgM-secreting EBV cell lines from both fetal and adult tissues utilize VH genes from particular families roughly in proportion to estimated family size, suggesting that the repertoire of sigM-positive B cells in both fetal and adult organs is 'normalized' with respect to the V(H) gene family. In contrast, we find a highly biased pattern of VH gene expression in CLLs. The significance of these findings is discussed in the context of mechanisms that could be involved in normal B cell repertoire development and in the process of malignant transformation of precursors of CLL.
Logtenberg
T
T
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY 10032.
Schutte
M E
ME
Inghirami
G
G
Berman
J E
JE
Gmelig-Meyling
F H
FH
Insel
R A
RA
Knowles
D M
DM
Alt
F W
FW
D000483:Alleles; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D015870:Gene Expression; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D005810:Multigene Family