Autoantibody-associated cross-reactive idiotype-bearing human B
lymphocytes: distribution and characterization, including Ig VH gene and
CD5 antigen expression
G Inghirami, DR Foitl, A Sabichi, BY Zhu and DM Knowles
Department of Pathology, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia
University, New York, NY 10032.
Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) specific for autoantibody associated
cross-reactive idiotypes (CRIs) frequently recognize the Igs of neoplastic
B cells in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and/or
Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. Very little is known regarding the normal
B cells expressing CRIs (CRI-positive B cells). Using a variety of MoAbs
against CRIs we investigated the distribution and topographic localization
of CRI-positive B cells in normal adult human lymphoid tissues. We found
that CRI-positive B cells represent a significant B-cell subpopulation
expressing surface IgM (greater than 90%), IgG (approximately 5%), or IgA
(approximately 2%). CRI-positive B cells are homogeneously distributed
throughout all lymphoid tissues, accounting for 10% to 15% of all B
lymphocytes, with the exception of the thymus, in which they represent the
predominant B cell population. Immunophenotypic studies showed (1) that a
small subpopulation (3.7% +/- 0.8%) of CRI-positive B cells are activated
in vivo, based on CD25 and CD38 antigen expression; and (2) that
approximately 50% of CRI-positive B cells express the 67-Kd
pan-T-lymphocyte CD5 antigen, suggesting that the CRI-positive B-cell
subset and the recently described CD5-positive B-cell subset are closely
related. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that CRI-positive B cells
produce oligo or polyreactive Igs, which are a characteristic feature of
CD5-positive B cells, and also by the fact that both B-cell subpopulations
appear to use similar and restricted Ig VH gene family members.
Volume 78,
Issue 6,
pp. 1503-1515,
09/15/1991
Copyright © 1991 by The American Society of Hematology
