Clonal diversity, somatic mutation, and immune memory to phosphocholine-keyhole limpet hemocyanin.

Group II antibodies to phosphocholine (PC)-keyhole limpet hemocyanin in BALB/c mice are genetically diverse and of a defined binding phenotype which recognizes the hapten, phenyl-PC, and PC coupled to protein but not free PC. We sequenced the V regions of 14 kappa and lambda-bearing group II antibodies. Both types show extensive somatic mutations. The pattern of the mutations differs between kappa and lambda antibodies. The nature of the somatic mutation in lambda chains suggests strong Ag selection on the L chain but not the H chain of the lambda-bearing antibodies. The reverse pattern of selection was observed among kappa-containing antibodies wherein the accumulation of replacement mutations in the CDR of the H chain appears to result from selection while changes in the L chain appear unselected. From these findings it appears that somatic mutation plays a major role in anti-PC-keyhole limpet hemocyanin memory development because all 14 antibodies displayed changes from germ-line sequences.

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