B lymphocyte involvement in ankylosing spondylitis: the heavy chain variable segment gene repertoire of B lymphocytes from germinal center-like foci in the synovial membrane indicates antigen selection.

ABSTRACT: The synovial membrane (SM) of affected joints in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is infiltrated by germinal center-like aggregates (foci) of lymphocytes similar to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We characterized the rearranged heavy chain variable segment (VH) genes in the SM for gene usage and the mutational pattern to elucidate the B lymphocyte involvement in AS. Cryosections from an AS-derived SM were stained for B and T lymphocytes. B cells were isolated from different areas of a focus. The rearranged VH genes were amplified by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using oligonucleotides specific for the six different VH families and heavy chain joining segments (JHs). PCR products were cloned and sequenced.Fifty-nine of 70 different heavy chain gene rearrangements were potentially funct

SUBMITTER: Voswinkel J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC30712 | biostudies-literature | 2001

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature