title: Predominant V-region gene configurations in the human antibody response to Haemophilus influenzae capsule polysaccharide.
abstract: The antibody response to Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide (Hib PS) is known to be encoded by a few V-region genes. We have obtained four human monoclonal Hib PS antibodies from four healthy adult subjects immunized with diphtheria toxin-conjugated Hib PS vaccine. The VH gene segments that encode for these antibodies belong to the VH3 gene family, of which two are related to the V3-23 gene and two to the VH3b subfamily. Both hybridomas that express a V3-23-related gene use short D-segments (3 bp), the JH6 gene segment and a V kappa gene derived from the A2 germline gene. The two hybridomas that express VH3b genes use D-segments of conventional length (24-33 bp), the JH4 gene segment and a non-A2 V kappa gene. Comparison of our sequences with those reported by others suggests that the above patterns of V-region gene segment association exemplify two V-region gene configurations that are predominant in the Hib PS antibody response. The first configuration is reminiscent of antibodies produced by B-1 B cells while the second is more characteristic of antibodies produced by conventional B cells. The possibility that these two configurations, in fact, represent the products of two different B cell lineages remains to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Pinchuk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nottenburg
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Milner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000235:genetics*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid / Q000276:immunology*; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; C052180:Haemophilus influenzae type b-polysaccharide vaccine-diphtheria toxoid conjugate; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate