Kappa and lambda light chain composition of antibody to the capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae type b

J Infect Dis. 1990 May;161(5):922-5. doi: 10.1093/infdis/161.5.922.

Abstract

Concentrations of total immunoglobulins bearing kappa and lambda light chains were measured in the sera of 215 healthy white children aged 6 months to 10 years. Both kappa and lambda concentrations increased with age. However, the concentration of immunoglobulins bearing kappa light chains increased at a greater rate than those bearing lambda light chains (P = .01). Thus, the kappa:lambda ratio of the youngest children (6-24 months) was significantly lower than that of the oldest (25-130 months) (P = .0015). The relationship between the IgG antibody concentration and the light chain composition of the specific antibody directed to Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) polysaccharide was also assessed in 62 of 215 serum samples with detectable Hib antibody. The IgG Hib antibody concentration was strongly correlated with the kappa:lambda Hib antibody ratio (r = .60, P = .001), and this correlation was independent of age. Thus, light chain selection and response to polysaccharides may be regulated by common mechanisms that mature late in ontogeny.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis*
  • Bacterial Capsules
  • Bacterial Vaccines / immunology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Haemophilus Vaccines*
  • Haemophilus influenzae / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / analysis*
  • Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / analysis*
  • Infant
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Radioimmunoassay

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Vaccines
  • Haemophilus Vaccines
  • Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide vaccine
  • Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains
  • Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial