VARIABLE-REGION GENE FAMILY USAGE FOR TYPE-II COLLAGEN AUTOANTIBODIESIN ARTHRITIS-SUSCEPTIBLE DBA 1 MICE/

Collagen-induced arthritis is mediated by autoantibodies to type II co llagen (CII). This experimental model has proven useful in determining the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for autoimmune arth ritis. We have shown that polyarthritis can he transferred to normal m ice by administrating combinations of three or four complement-fixing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) which recognize cross-reactive epitopes o n the alpha 1(II)-CB11 region of chick and mouse CII. Currently, the l ight- and heavy-chain variable-region structures of a panel of alpha 1 (II)-CB11-specific mAbs that cross-react with chick and mouse CII, or react solely with chick CII, have been analyzed. The results indicate biased usage of V(K)19 and V(K)21 families of light-chain variable-reg ion genes but random V-H gene usage. Interestingly, two mAbs derived f rom different mice recognized identical epitopes on mouse CII and had nearly identical light- and heavy-chain variable-region structure incl uding junctionally derived sequence. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.