title: VH repertoire in human B lymphocytes stimulated by CD40 ligand and IL-4: evidence for positive and negative selection mechanisms coupled to CD40 activation.
abstract: In the normal immune system, B cells are thought to be negatively or positively selected at various checkpoints during their maturation; a process that maintains a broad immunoglobulin repertoire while eliminating non-functional or potentially harmful autoreactive antibodies. This study tested the hypothesis that utilization of certain immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (VH) genes, possibly as a consequence of intrinsic affinity for various ligands, directs positive or negative B cell selection coupled to B cell activation in the periphery during the immune response. The specific prediction that the VH repertoire of CD40-activated B cells would differ from the repertoire of unstimulated cells from the same donor, was tested by assessing VH utilization among human B cell clones grown in vitro, following stimulation with CD40 ligand (CD40L) and IL-4. The results showed that, although utilization of the known VH families and of individual VH3 genes was similar to that found in unstimulated B lymphocytes of the same donor, utilization of individual VH4 genes in CD40-activated B cells displayed a pattern that was markedly different from that of the unstimulated B cells. An allele of V4-61, V4-61b, was over-represented among the activated cells and, in contrast, the V4-34 gene (known to encode cold agglutinins with strong autoreactive properties) was modestly represented among the VH4 activated B cells, although V4-34 was overwhelmingly predominant in the repertoire of resting B cells. These results point to the existence of selection mechanisms that operate during B cell activation in the periphery. These mechanisms may favor B cells utilizing certain VH genes and disfavor the cells that utilize other genes, possibly because utilization of the latter confers autoreactivity.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Research Center, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Pinchuk
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Glas
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Armitage
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Milner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology*; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019013:CD40 Antigens; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D015847:Interleukin-4