Polymorphisms in human immunoglobulin heavy chain variable genes and their upstream regions

Polymorphisms of a human variable heavy chain gene show linkage with constant heavy chain genes.

In this study, restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were identified with an immunoglobulin variable heavy chain region (Ig VH) probe and the inheritance of the polymorphisms was analyzed in families. Linkage within the VHII gene cluster and between the VHII and Ig CH genes was investigated by lod (logarithm of odds) score analysis. In addition, the position of the VHII genes was de...

Immunoglobulin heavy chain constant regions regulate immunity and tolerance to idiotypes of antibody variable regions.

Particular syngeneic adjuvant-free monoclonal antibodies are immunogenic and elicit antibody responses against the variable region idiotypes (Ids). We here study how heavy-chain constant regions (C(H)) regulate immune responses to Ids of free, uncomplexed monoclonal antibodies. To this end, we selected two hybridomas, called Id(3) and Id(A.01), that produce immunogenic IgM(lambda)2 directed tow...

Structure and multiplicity of genes for the human immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region.

Several genes for the variable region of immunoglobulin heavy chains (VH genes) have been isolated from human fetal liver DNA by using a cDNA plasmid probe containing a mouse VH sequence. The detectable VH genes are separated by 12-16 kilobases of DNA, and hybridization experiments show about 23 hybridizing VH genes in DNA of three different individuals. The complete nucleotide sequence of one ...

Receptor Revision of Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Variable Region Genes in Normal Human B Lymphocytes

Contrary to the general precepts of the clonal selection theory, several recent studies have provided evidence for the secondary rearrangement of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes in peripheral lymphoid tissues. These analyses typically used transgenic mouse models and have only detected secondary recombination of Ig light chain genes. Although Ig heavy chain variable region (V(H)) genes encode a subst...

Split immunoglobulin genes and human heavy chain deletion-mutants.