Pairing of VH gene families with the lambda 1 light chain: evidence for a non-stochastic association.

The frequencies at which four VH gene families pair with the lambda 1 light (L) chain were determined by sequential hybridization of VH- and lambda 1-specific DNA probes to mitogen-induced colonies of B cells. Analysis of pair frequencies indicates that the repertoire of lambda L chain antibodies is generated by the stochastic pairing of smaller 3'-to-mid-locus VH gene families (X-24, S107, Q52). However, the large 5' VH J558 family appeared to associate with the lambda 1 L chain non-stochastically; the frequency of VHJ558/lambda 1+ colonies among all lambda 1+ colonies was significantly lower than the frequency of J558 expression among all (C mu+) B cell colonies. This difference suggests that selection, either intrinsic at the level of rearrangement or heavy and L chain pairing, or extrinsic following surface immunoglobulin expression, may operate to shape the lambda antibody repertoire prior to the introduction of exogenous antigen.

Duke Scholars

Author Garnett H. Kelsoe Integrative Immunobiology