Abstract
Peripheral blood B cells of a 67-year-old person were separated into IgM+IgD+, IgM+IgD-, and IgM-IgD- subsets, and nucleotide sequences of expressed immunoglobulin light chain variable (V) regions encoded by V kappa 3 and V kappa 4 gene family members were determined from amplified cDNA. V region sequences from IgM+IgD+ cells (the major B cell population in the blood) showed no or little somatic mutation (0.3%), in contrast to V kappa sequences from IgM+IgD- and IgM-IgD- B cells (2.0% and 3.9%, respectively). This suggests that in the human like in the mouse, and independently of age, somatically mutated memory B cells accumulate in the compartment of IgM-IgD- cells, whereas the IgM+IgD+ subpopulation consists of cells whose antibody repertoire is mainly determined by V region gene rearrangements and N-region insertion, at the molecular level. The somatically mutated IgM+IgD- cells may represent early descendants of IgM+IgD+ cells recruited into the memory cell compartment.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Aged
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Amino Acid Sequence
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B-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
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Base Sequence
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Gene Expression
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Genes, Immunoglobulin*
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Humans
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Immunoglobulin D / analysis*
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Immunoglobulin Joining Region / genetics
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Immunoglobulin M / analysis*
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Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics*
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Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / genetics*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Mutation
Substances
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Immunoglobulin D
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Immunoglobulin Joining Region
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Immunoglobulin M
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Immunoglobulin Variable Region
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Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains
Associated data
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GENBANK/Z26596
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GENBANK/Z26597
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GENBANK/Z26598
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GENBANK/Z26599
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GENBANK/Z26600
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GENBANK/Z26601
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GENBANK/Z26602
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GENBANK/Z26603
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GENBANK/Z26604
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GENBANK/Z26605
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GENBANK/Z26606
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GENBANK/Z26607
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GENBANK/Z26608
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GENBANK/Z26609
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GENBANK/Z26610
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GENBANK/Z26611
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GENBANK/Z26612
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GENBANK/Z26613
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GENBANK/Z26614
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GENBANK/Z26615
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GENBANK/Z26616
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GENBANK/Z26617
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GENBANK/Z26618
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GENBANK/Z26619
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GENBANK/Z26620
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GENBANK/Z26621
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GENBANK/Z26622
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GENBANK/Z26623
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GENBANK/Z26624
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GENBANK/Z26625