The human antibody repertoire: Heavy and light chain variable region gene usage in six alloantibodies specific for human HLA class I and class II alloantigens

• Published in: Molecular immunology 1995-10, Vol.32 (14), p.1105-1122
• Main Authors: Andris, Jennifer S., Abraham, Sheena R., Pascual, Virginia, Pistillo, Maria P., Mantero, Stefano, Ferrara, Giovanni B., Capra, J.Donald
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alloantibody; alloantigen; Amino Acid Sequence; Antibodies, Monoclonal - genetics; Antibody Diversity - genetics; apparent somatic mutation; Base Sequence; Cell Line; D segment; Genes, Immunoglobulin - immunology; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - immunology; HLA; HLA Antigens - immunology; HLA-D Antigens - immunology; human antibody repertoire; human monoclonal antibody; Humans; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains - genetics; Immunoglobulin Joining Region - genetics; Immunoglobulin Light Chains - genetics; Immunoglobulin Variable Region - genetics; Isoantibodies - genetics; Isoantibodies - isolation & purification; J region; Molecular Sequence Data; variable region
• ISSN: 0161-5890; 1872-9142
• DOI: 10.1016/0161-5890(95)00071-2

Peripheral blood B lymphocytes have been isolated from healthy individuals who were immunized with lymphocytes from HLA-incompatible donors and transformed with Epstein-Barr virus to produce human monoclonal cell lines specific for human HLA molecules. The cell lines have been previously characterized and are known to bind to various class I and class II alloantigens. In this report we describe the molecular characterization of the heavy and light chain variable region gene segments that are utilized by these monoclonal antibodies. Using the polymerase chain reaction and primer pairs specific for the respective constant region and V H or V L family, rearranged variable region gene segments were amplified from cDNA from individual cell lines. Products were then subcloned, sequenced and analysed for gene usage and apparent somatic mutation. The results show that the V H 3 gene family predominates in a group of six heavy chains (four out of six) with one V H1 and one V H4 gene segment. The light chain variable region gene family usage is more diverse with 2 V k3, 1 V k1, 2 V λ2 and 1 V λ3. The extent of apparent somatic mutation is minimal, relative to our previous observations in a group of high affinity human monoclonal antibodies specific for pathogenic organisms.