Diversification of the Ig variable region gene repertoire of synovial B lymphocytes by nucleotide insertion and deletion.

ABSTRACT: Although the changes that occur in Ig V region genes during a B lymphocyte's response to antigen usually result from point mutations, nucleotide insertion and deletion also alter gene sequence. We identified nucleotide insertions and deletions (3 to 12 bp) at a frequency of 1.34%, in Ig V gene cDNA from B lymphocytes residing in the synovial tissues of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Because the added or lost nucleotides occurred in multiples of 3, they maintained the original reading frame and coded a potentially intact receptor. These V gene modifications were generated somatically, because they were identified in the original cDNA by HCDR3-specific polymerase chain reaction and were not found in other B cells using the same VH genes. Insertions and deletions were detected only in Ig

SUBMITTER: Miura Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1430824 | biostudies-literature | 2003 May-Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature