Immunoglobulin variable regions usage by B-lymphocytes infiltrating a human breast medullary carcinoma

Immunol Lett. 1999 Feb;65(3):143-51. doi: 10.1016/s0165-2478(98)00098-4.

Abstract

Breast medullary carcinoma are heavily infiltrated by B-lymphocytes and associated with a good prognosis despite their high histological grade. We investigated the Ig repertoire of B-lymphocytes infiltrating one such tumour. A single cell suspension was obtained from a tumor specimen by enzymatic digestion. VH, Vkappa, and Vlambda regions were amplified by RT-PCR using mixtures of primers optimized to maximize the diversity of the PCR products. They were then cloned and sequenced. Analysis of 9 VH, 5 Vkappa, and 10 Vlambda sequences using the Kabat database indicated that several VH and VL region subgroups (I, II and III) are expressed by B-lymphocytes infiltrating this tumor. The analysis of CDR3 regions also showed a variability, although some VH and VL clones exhibited identical or nearly identical sequences. Thus, the B-cell infiltration observed in this breast medullary carcinoma does not reflect a monoclonal proliferation and represents an oligoclonal or a polyclonal B-cell proliferation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antibody Diversity / genetics
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Base Sequence
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Carcinoma, Medullary / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Medullary / immunology*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Light Chain
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics*
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family / immunology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region