High frequency of somatic mutations in the VH genes expressed in prolymphocytic leukemia.
Prolymphocytic leukemia (PLL) is a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder, characterized by prominent splenomegaly, prolymphocytes accounting for more than 55% of circulating lymphocytes, and short-term survival. To better characterize the nature of the cellular origin in this disease, we analyzed lg heavy chain variable region (VH) genes in eleven cases of de novo PLL Leukemic cells expressed a skewed repertoire characterized by predominant use of the V3 family members (73%), with preferential use of the V3-23 gene (50% of the VH3 genes). All sequences from expressed VH genes diverged from their putative germline counterpart, and in eight cases the divergence was greater than 5%. In seven cases, which expressed the V3-23 gene and VH4 family members, nucleotide substitutions could be confidently attributed to somatic mutations. The type and distribution of these mutations clearly indicated that in three cases the cells had been subjected to an antigen selection process. Taken together, these results suggest that B-PLL cells display a skewed repertoire of lg VH regions and probably represent, at least in some instances, expansion of postgerminal center cells that have undergone antigen driven selection.
Davi
F
F
Département d'Hématologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
Maloum
K
K
Michel
A
A
Pritsch
O
O
Magnac
C
C
Macintyre
E
E
Salomon-Nguyen
F
F
Binet
J L
JL
Dighiero
G
G
Merle-Béral
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D015463:Leukemia, Prolymphocytic / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017385:Sequence Homology
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins