title: The V(lambda)-J(lambda) repertoire of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus manifests characteristics of the natural antibody repertoire.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand in detail the mechanisms of autoantibody production in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we performed a comprehensive analysis of the normal human immunoglobulin light chain V(lambda) repertoire and compared it with the V(lambda) repertoire in SLE patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SLE V(lambda) repertoire of B cells obtained from 3 SLE patients was analyzed and compared in detail with the V(lambda) repertoire of IgM+ B cells obtained from 3 human fetal spleens and IgM+,CD5+ B cells obtained from 2 normal adults. Conventional IgM+,CD5- B cells obtained from normal adults were used as controls. V(lambda)-J(lambda) rearrangements were amplified from the genomic DNA of individual B cells by polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expressed V(lambda) repertoire of SLE patients contained several similarities with the expressed repertoire of the fetus and the adult CD5+ B cells. The V(lambda) genes 3L and 1G were overexpressed in the fetus, the adult CD5+ B cells, and the patients with SLE. The selection for rearrangements with restricted junctional diversity by utilization of homology-mediated joining, together with diminished N nucleotide addition, was a prominent feature of fetal, adult CD5+, and SLE B cell repertoires. Furthermore, profound expansion of V(lambda) clones with identical third complementarity-determining regions was observed in the adult CD5+, fetal, and SLE B cell repertoires. Notably, significant numbers of expanded adult CD5+ B cells, fetal, and SLE V(lambda) clones utilized homology-mediated joining at the V(lambda)-J(lambda) junctions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate that the SLE V(lambda)-J(lambda) repertoire manifests characteristics of normal adult IgM+,CD5+ and fetal B cell populations that are known to be enriched for the production of natural autoantibodies.
authors.affiliation: Ewha Women's University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jisoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lipsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains; C030566:immunoglobulin light chain protein Sm lambda