Aberrant expression of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes in Epstein-Barr virus-negative, human immunodeficiency virus-related lymphoid interstitial pneumonia
K. Kurosu et al., Aberrant expression of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes in Epstein-Barr virus-negative, human immunodeficiency virus-related lymphoid interstitial pneumonia, LAB INV, 80(12), 2000, pp. 1891-1903
The two-step polymerase chain reaction (PCE) and sequencing analysis was us
ed to analyze the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable (Ig V-H) genes of ope
n-chest biopsy or autopsy samples from five patients with Epstein-Barr viru
s-negative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related lymphoid interstitial
pneumonia (LIP), and the results were compared with those for Ig V-H genes
from five HIV-negative LIP patients. The findings of this study are consis
tent with the different immunological situations of HIV-related and HIV-neg
ative LIP. (a) The Ig V(H)3 subgroup was underexpressed in three of five ca
ses of HIV-related LIP. In contrast, none of the HIV-negative cases showed
this abnormality. Because the Ig V(H)3 subgroup encodes the largest portion
of Ig V-H genes, a depletion of B cells expressing Ig V(H)3 genes reflects
a major alteration in the B-cell compartment (b) All HIV-related LIP cases
demonstrated two or three oligoclonal populations. HIV-negative cases show
ed minor monoclonal or polyclonal populations, but not oligoclonal ones. Th
ese oligoclonal populations suggest the coexistence of several occult clona
l B-cell populations in HIV-related LIP. (c) Some oligoclonal clones in HIV
-related LIP showed mutated framework regions not demonstrated in HIV-negat
ive clones. This degree of variation exceeds the usual mutation rate for fr
ameworks, suggesting a role for framework residues in antigen binding. (d)
The frequency of D-D fusions of minor oligoclonal clones (HIV-related LIP)
is higher than that of minor monoclonal clones (HIV-negative LIP). Such D-D
fusions may enhance the probability of expression of antibodies capable of
binding HIV glycoproteins.