title: The role of a novel VH sequence (V11) in the formation of anti-phosphocholine antibodies.
abstract: The immune response to phosphocholine (PC) in mice is highly restricted. Most anti-PC antibodies use heavy-chain variable-region (VH) sequences derived from single VH gene segment, V1. In order to investigate whether a highly homologous VH gene segment, V11, could contribute to the formation of PC-binding antibodies, we carried out chain recombination experiments with M47A, a non-PC binding myeloma protein whose H-chain is encoded by the V11 gene segment, and two PC-binding antibodies, HP101.6G6 (HP6G6) and M511. The H-chains from the non-PC-binding myeloma protein, M47A, formed a functional PC-binding site when paired with L-chains from both PC-binding antibodies. These results suggest that a second VH gene segment, V11, could theoretically be used to form PC-binding antibodies. In addition, these results provide direct evidence that a single H-chain can be used in combinatorial association with different L-chains to form antibodies of differing specificities.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000276:immunology*; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000276:immunology; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009194:Myeloma Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D009194:Myeloma Proteins; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D002794:Choline