High connectivity, natural antibodies preferentially use 7183 and QUPC 52 VH families.
Twenty-seven B cell hybridomas derived from spleen cells of nonimmunized, 6-day-old BALB/c mice and previously characterized serologically were screened for VH-gene expression: hybridomas expressing the two most D-proximal VH-gene families, 7183 and QUPC 52 were over-represented in this sample. Strikingly, clones serologically characterized by high degree of degenerate "specificity" and high idiotypic connectivity were found to use almost exclusively these two VH-gene families. As these serological properties are a unique feature of "natural" antibody repertoires, the results may reflect a functional relationship between expression of these VH genes and activation of B cells in the internal environment, particularly in the context of idiotypic interactions.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000502:physiology; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000276:immunology*; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice
D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains