V gene analysis of anticardiolipin antibodies from MRL-lpr/lpr mice.
We analyzed the VH and V kappa genes of 14 hybridomas producing anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) from MRL-lpr/lpr mice, in an attempt to address the question of whether aCL are generated by Ag-driven stimulation or by polyclonal B cell activation. Five of six aCL from one mouse and both aCL from the other mouse carried 98 to 100% homologous VH and V kappa genes, respectively, thereby indicating that aCL were derived from the oligoclonal B cell precursor in that individual mouse. Of nine clones, six (67%) used the VH gene of the J558 family, and three (43%) of seven clones used the V kappa gene of the V kappa 23 group. Three to five somatic mutations were detected in all VH and V kappa genes of the examined aCL. These results suggest the possibility that usage of VH/V kappa genes in aCL is not random and that aCL consist of somatically mutated Ig genes.
Kita
Y
Y
Second Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan.
Sumida
T
T
Ichikawa
K
K
Maeda
T
T
Yonaha
F
F
Iwamoto
I
I
Yoshida
S
S
Koike
T
T
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation
D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region