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  • Title: Immunoglobulin Vkappa light chain gene analysis in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
    Author: Heimbächer C, Hansen A, Pruss A, Jacobi A, Reiter K, Lipsky PE, Dörner T.
    Journal: Arthritis Rheum; 2001 Mar; 44(3):626-37. PubMed ID: 11263777.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: Patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) have characteristic lymphocytic infiltration of the salivary glands with a previously reported predominance of Vkappa-bearing B cells and produce a variety of autoantibodies, indicating that there is a humoral autoimmune component in this syndrome. This study was undertaken to determine whether there are primary deviations of immunoglobulin V gene usage, differences in somatic hypermutation, defects of selection, or indications for perturbances of B cell maturation in SS. METHODS: Individual peripheral B cells from patients with SS were analyzed for their Ig V gene usage, and the findings were compared with results in normal controls. RESULTS: Molecular differences, as reflected by findings in the nonproductive Vkappa repertoire of the patients, were identified by an enhanced usage of Jkappa2 gene segments and a lack of mutational targeting toward RGYW/WRCY sequences compared with controls. A greater usage of Vkappa1 family members and a reduced frequency of Vkappa3 gene segments in the productive repertoire suggested differences in selection, possibly driven by antigen. Overall positive selection for mutations, especially for replacements in the complementarity-determining region and for mutations in RGYW/WRCY, similar to that found in controls, was detected. CONCLUSION: Disturbances of strictly regulated B cell maturation, during early B cell development as indicated by prominent Jkappa2 gene usage and during germinal center reactions as indicated by a lack of targeting of the hypermutation mechanism, might contribute to the emergence of autoimmunity in SS.
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