VH gene usage in humans: biased usage of the VH6 gene in immature B lymphoid cells. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Preferential usage of JH-proximal VH genes has been demonstrated in immature murine B cell repertoires. To determine whether this phenomenon is also evident in human repertoires, we studied utilization of VH6, the most JH-proximal human VH gene. Examination of VH gene usage in a panel of precursor B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia samples indicated that 15% of the IgH rearrangements utilized VH6. VH6 is a single-member family in a total repertoire of 100-200 VH genes; thus, if usage were purely random, one would expect VH6 rearrangement frequency to be less than 1%. Analysis of VH gene usage in normal lymphoid tissues also revealed biased usage of VH6. VH6 was preferentially utilized in 16- to 24-week-old fetal liver as compared to adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells or spleen. Possible implications of the conservation of preferential usage of JH-proximal genes in both immature murine and human repertoires are discussed.

publication date

  • May 1, 1991

Research

keywords

  • B-Lymphocytes
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0025921739

PubMed ID

  • 1903708

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 21

issue

  • 5