Hypervariable region of human immunoglobulin heavy chains.
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Five cDNA clones designated pDH2, pDH8, pDH9, pDH31 and pDH101 encoding rabbit immunoglobulin lambda light chain sequences have been characterized. Comparison of the V lambda sequences suggests that, in addition to an increased divergence in all of the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs), variable-region diversity is amplified by the length heterogeneity of the CDR3, at the V lambda-J lambda junction. An insertion of four codons at positions 48a-d has been noted in three cDNA sequences. This insert, not found in lambda nor kappa light chains of other species, has a variable sequence, suggesting its possible implication in expanding variability of the CDR2. One of the cDNA clones was shown to encode a novel C lambda region which differs by four amino acid substitutions from the C lambda region common to all the other clones. Thus, the rabbit can use two different C lambda genes, which might correlate with the expression of the two known allotypes of lambda chains, C7 and C21. Southern blotting experiments indicate a small number of germ-line V lambda genes and the cDNA nucleotide sequence data reported here suggest that several of these genes can be expressed. The possibility of at least two V-J-C gene clusters is discussed.
Direct sequence analysis of the human T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) V beta 1 variable gene identified a single base-pair allelic variation (C/G) located within the coding region. This change results in substitution of a histidine (CAC) for a glutamine (CAG) at position 48 of the TCR beta chain, a position predicted to be in the TCR antigen binding site. The V beta 1 polymorphism was found by DNA sequence analysis of V beta 1 genes from seven unrelated individuals; V beta 1 genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction, the amplified fragments were cloned into M13 phage vectors, and sequences were determined. To determine the inheritance patterns of the V beta 1 substitution and to test correlation with V beta 1 restriction fragment length polymorphism detected with Pvu II and Taq I, allele-specific oligonucleotides were constructed and used to characterize amplified DNA samples. Seventy unrelated individuals and six families were tested for both restriction fragment length polymorphism and for the V beta 1 substitution. The correlation was also tested using amplified, size-selected, Pvu II- and Taq I-digested DNA samples from heterozygotes. Pvu II allele 1 (61/70) and Taq I allele 1 (66/70) were found to be correlated with the substitution giving rise to a histidine at position 48. Because there are exceptions to the correlation, the use of specific probes to characterize allelic forms of TCR variable genes will provide important tools for studies of basic TCR genetics and disease associations.
Recently, we have used synthetic peptides corresponding to the complementarity-determining regions (CDR) of Ig molecules to induce antiidiotypic antisera. Peptide PSH3, representing the third CDR of the IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) Sie heavy (H) chain, induced a private antiidiotype that reacted with only one out of five IgM-RF. Peptide PSL2, corresponding to the second CDR of Sie light (L) chain, induced an antibody against a crossreactive idiotype (CRI), expressed by 10 out of 12 human IgM-RF analyzed. Herein, we report that five additional antiidiotypic antibodies were generated by immunization with synthetic peptides identical to the third L chain CDR of IgM-RF Sie (PSL3), the second and third H chain CDR of IgM-RF Wol, and the second and third CDR of IgM-RF Pom. As analyzed by immunoblot assay, both anti-PSL3 and anti-PSL2 reacted with the majority of 16 IgM-RF. In contrast, all five antiidiotypes induced by the H chain peptides reacted only with the parent proteins, except anti-PSH3, which reacted weakly with one additional RF. These results suggest that one (or very few) VL gene(s), but a larger number of VH genes, are used to encode IgM-RF autoantibodies.
Synthetic peptides corresponding to eight individual heavy chain complementarity-determining regions (CDR) of three human monoclonal IgM anti-IgG (rheumatoid factor [RF]) paraproteins elicited rabbit antibodies with markedly different properties. All antisera recognized the immunizing peptide, and several reacted with the isolated IgM heavy chain on immunoblots. However, only the antisera against peptides representing the third CDR bound consistently and specifically to the intact IgM-RF molecule. These data indicate that the third CDR of human mu chains comprises an immunodominant idiotype, and suggest that the D gene segment may be especially important in creating idiotypic diversity. Synthetic peptides corresponding to the third heavy chain CDR of human paraproteins may be clinically useful for the specific induction of antiidiotypic antibodies.
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A region of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus genome that is frequently found to be altered after serial passage of the virus in cell culture was characterized. Sequence analysis of this region of the genome in wild-type and mutant viruses revealed that some of the mutations affected a 675 bp open reading frame, designated DA26. The DA26 gene was disrupted both by deletion and by insertion of sequences that resembled transposable elements. Northern blot analysis of DA26 showed that it was expressed very early after infection. DA26-specific transcripts could be detected after the 1 h viral adsorption period upon infection of cultured Trichoplusia ni cells. These transcripts were mapped by nuclease protection assays. A recombinant virus was constructed in which DA26 was disrupted by insertion of the Escherichia coli lacZ gene. This virus was viable in both T. ni and Spodoptera frugiperda cells and analysis of the kinetics of protein synthesis revealed no differences between wild-type and recombinant viruses. The disruption of DA26 also did not interfere with the ability of the virus to infect T. ni or S. frugiperda larvae.
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Previous studies have suggested that some apolipoprotein B (apoB) 3' variable number of tandem repeats (3'VNTR) locus alleles are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). We examined the possible association between the apoB 3'VNTR alleles and CAD in 387 Finnish subjects. Using the polymerase chain reaction and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the 3'VNTR genotype was determined in 187 individuals with severe CAD confirmed by coronary angiography (patients), in 121 individuals with normal coronary angiograms (controls), and in 79 apparently healthy subjects (normals). In contrast to previous reports from other populations, the larger apoB 3'VNTR alleles were not significantly more frequent among CAD patients than among controls or normals. In addition, there was no significant association between the 3'VNTR alleles and serum lipid levels in this Finnish population.
Monoclonal antibodies, D2 and 4G11, selected by the autoantiidiotypic approach following injection of thyrotropin (TSH) into mice, mimic TSH in binding to receptors on thyroid membranes. Based on TSH receptor transfection studies, D2 and 4G11 show unequivocal specificity for the TSH receptor. To see if the complementary determining regions (CDRs) of these antibodies share any primary sequence similarities to regions of TSH critical for receptor binding, we deduced the primary structure of the variable regions of D2 and 4G11 by sequencing the immunoglobulin mRNA. We found that CDR1 of 4G11K and CDR2 of D2 mu show sequence similarity to regions of TSH alpha and TSH beta that had been previously implicated in the interaction of the hormone with its receptor. We tested the inhibitory effects of synthetic peptides from D2 mu-CDR2 and 4G11K-CDR1 on the binding of the corresponding antibodies to rat thyroid FRTL-5 cells and found an EC50 of 0.1 and 1 microM, respectively. TSH-derived peptides with similarity to D2 mu-CDR2 and 4G11K-CDR1 showed a significant but lesser effect on the binding of 4G11 or D2 to thyroid cells. Additionally, we tested the effects of the CDR peptides and TSH-derived peptides on TSH-stimulated cAMP production in FRTL-5 cells and found that D2 mu-CDR2 and 4G11K-CDR1 inhibited this activity, D2 mu-CDR2 most strongly (EC50 10 microM). Thus, linear sequences from the CDRs of these autoantiidiotypic antibodies with similarity to sequences from both subunits of TSH appear to interact with the TSH receptor. These data support previous studies indicating the complexity of the interaction between TSH and its receptor and advance earlier findings that such immunologic approaches are useful in dissecting receptor-ligand interactions.
We combined the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with oligonucleotide hybridization as a novel and sensitive technique to evaluate posttransplant chimerism. Specific oligonucleotides for hybridization were synthesized homologous to tandemly repetitive core sequences of regions with a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs). Polymorphisms at such loci result from allelic differences in the number of repeats. Primers flanking the repeat region of each of the corresponding VNTRs were used for amplification. Recipient and donor pretransplant DNA and recipient posttransplant DNA were amplified. The resultant fragments were analyzed after gel electrophoresis either by hybridization in-gel or after Southern transfer. To confirm our findings, we also performed standard assays of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). Evaluation of 13 selected cases indicated mixed chimerism (4), complete chimerism (5), recurrence of leukemia (2), and endogenous repopulation of hematopoiesis (2) after marrow transplantation. Sensitivity of the method was determined by mixing various proportions of recipient and donor DNA; the limit of detection of the minor component in a mixture was 0.1%. PCR data correlated with RFLP data in all cases except two in which PCR proved more sensitive than RFLP. PCR amplification of VNTRs combined with oligonucleotide hybridization is a novel technique for documenting posttransplant chimerism and has advantages over RFLP analysis: high sensitivity, use of small amounts of DNA (250 ng), ease of preparation of DNA, elimination of need for restriction enzymes, and the ability to complete studies in 2 days.
The PCR method has been applied to amplify two Variable-number-Tandem-Repeat (VNTR) sequences. The high polymorphism of these VNTR systems can be usefully applied in medical legal fields such as paternity testing and individual identification. The VNTR systems utilized were: ApoB and YNZ 22. The study was conducted on a three-generation family of thirteen members, whose relationship was previously established using conventional blood systems. The results confirm the Mendelian inheritance of the alleles found and the suitability of the PCR method for forensic purposes.
In order to define the HLA-DR and DQ alleles, as well as the specific DQA1 and DQB1 chain genes involved in the anti-Ro/La autoantibody responses, RFLP analysis and sequence-specific oligonucleotide typing was carried out on 58 Caucasians and 48 American blacks with SLE or Sjögren's syndrome and anti-Ro antibodies. Among both Caucasian and black patients, the highest relative risk for the anti-Ro response (both with and without accompanying anti-La) was conferred by heterozygosity for the DQw2.1 (in linkage disequilibrium with HLA-DR3) and DQw6 (a subtype of DQw1) alleles compared with either 269 normal race-matched controls or 80 anti-Ro negative SLE/Sjögren's syndrome patients. Analysis of individual DQA1 and DQB1 chain alleles revealed that DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0201 were most frequent, followed by DQA1 and DQB1 alleles comprising DQw6. In patients not possessing DQw2.1 and/or DQw6 alleles, HLA-DQB1*0302 and HLA-DQA1*0401 (especially in blacks) were significantly increased. Nucleotide sequence analysis of these associated alleles showed that 100% of patients with anti-Ro had a glutamine residue at position 34 of the outermost domain of the DQA1 chain and/or a leucine at position 26 of the outermost domain of the DQB1 chain. Patients with anti-Ro plus La were more likely to have all four of their DQA1/DQB1 chains containing these amino acid residues than either anti-Ro-negative SLE patients or controls. These data implicate specific amino acid residues on both DQA1 and DQB1 chains located in the floor of the Ag binding cleft of the HLA-DQA1:B1 heterodimer and further suggest a role for "gene dosage" in the anti-Ro (+/- La) autoantibody response.
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DNA polymorphisms are based on variations in the nucleotide sequences of the DNA within a given population and are transmitted from parents to offspring by Mendelian inheritance. Most of these mutations are phenotypically silent. Two different types of DNA polymorphisms are restriction fragment length polymorphisms and highly variable regions (HVRs), the latter with many different alleles at a given locus. Molecular probes for HVRs (or DNA minisatellites) can detect a great number of cross-hybridising fragments dispersed throughout the genome. The polymorphic patterns of these fragments are completely individual-specific, hence termed DNA "fingerprints". DNA "fingerprinting" has been shown to be a powerful tool for establishing family relationships, for example in paternity disputes, and for the positive identification of individuals in forensic medicine. The technique may be used to document marrow engraftment in patients who have undergone allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. DNA "fingerprinting" is a new method of assessing clonality in human tumours by identifying clonal somatic mutations in the tumour DNA. Cloning of individual DNA "fingerprint" fragments yields locus-specific HVR probes which, due to their high rate of heterozygosity, are ideal for linkage analysis and prenatal diagnosis in single gene disorders. This is exemplified by adult polycystic kidney disease, which has been found by a 3'alpha-globin-HVR probe to be closely linked to the alpha-globin-gene cluster on chromosome 16p. Locus-specific HVR probes have been used for the molecular diagnosis of clonal chromosomal deletions or loss of heterozygosity at particular loci in a large variety of tumours. These findings are the basis for the identification of anti-oncogenes or putative tumour-suppressor genes in the human genome.