Bone and Joint Institute
Analysis of variable region genes encoding a human anti-DNA antibody of normal origin. Implications for the molecular basis of human autoimmune responses
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1989
Journal
Journal of Immunology
Volume
143
Issue
2
First Page
685
Last Page
691
Abstract
In order to investigate the genetic basis for natural anti-DNA immune responses, we isolated and sequenced the variable gene elements (V(H) and V(L)) encoding an anti-DNA antibody expressed by a human hybridoma of normal origin (Kim4.6) and compared these sequences with those reported for four other human anti-DNA antibodies. The Kim4.6 antibody leader and V(H) segments were identical in nucleotide sequence with the V(H)1.9III germ-line V(H)3 gene, and the Kim4.6V(L) segment showed 98% nucleotide sequence identity with a V(λ)I subgroup gene expressed in a Burkitt's lymphoma. Comparative analysis of Kim4.6 and other human hybridoma anti-DNA antibodies indicated that anti-DNA immune responses are diverse in terms of V(H) and V(L) gene utilization but may exhibit a bias toward rearrangement of V(H) genes that are over-represented in the fetal pre-B cell repertoire. Moreover, Kim4.6 and three of four other sequenced human anti-DNA antibodies appear to use a germ-line diversity gene, DXP'1, which may represent a counterpart of the DFL16.1 segment utilized in murine responses to the hapten nitrophenyl. Taken together, our findings indicate that anti-DNA immune responses can be encoded by nonmutated V(H) genes and that the elements and molecular mechanisms which engender this response are essentially the same among natural and lupus-associated anti-DNA antibodies. Our data also suggest that natural autoimmune responses originate early in B cell ontogeny as is consistent with the hypothesis that autoreactivity plays a major role in shaping the normal immune repertoire.
