Immunoglobulin VH-gene usage of autoantibodies in mercuric chloride-induced membranous glomerulopathy in the rat.

Brown-Norway (BN) and Dorus Zadel Black (DZB) rats develop a T-cell-dependent membranous glomerulopathy (MGP) with high proteinuria and antiglomerular basement membrane (GBM) autoreactive antibodies (Abs), upon exposure to mercuric chloride (HgCl2). Laminin is an important autoantigenic target of the anti-GBM Abs, absorbing approximately 30% of the anti-GBM reactivity. Although many anti-GBM Abs have undergone isotype switching, it is currently unclear whether affinity maturation occurs during the HgCl2-induced autoimmune response. To address this question we analysed the rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain variable-region genes (VHDJH regions) of 15 mAbs that were previously obtained from HgCl2-treated rats. Seven of these mAbs exhibit reactivity towards laminin. Our study showed that the VH-gene usage of antilaminin mAbs is largely restricted to the PC7183 VH-gene family (six out of seven). In addition, we demonstrated that at least three out of six laminin reactive and five out of six non-laminin-binding mAbs are encoded by germline VH genes (a total of eight out of 12 mAbs). Of the eight mAbs that are encoded by germline VH genes, seven are of a non-immunoglobulin M (IgM) isotype, indicating that isotype switching has occurred in these mAbs in the absence of somatic mutations. The mutations observed in the VH genes of the four remaining mAbs do not provide strong evidence for antigenic selection. The data support the notion that B cells in this model of MGP are not subjected to affinity maturation and probably result from polyclonal B-cell activation.

Liver cell proliferation after partial hepatectomy in rats with liver metastases.

OBJECTIVE: To validate proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression and flow cytometry as proliferation markers in regenerating rat liver containing metastases. STUDY DESIGN: Rats containing colorectal liver metastases were killed at various days after 70% partial hepatectomy or a sham operation. [3H]thymidine and 5-bromo-2'deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, PCNA expression and flow cytometry were used to evaluate liver cell proliferation. RESULTS: The assessment of proliferating liver cells by PCNA expression and BrdU incorporation was more reliable than autoradiography. PCNA expression correlated well with BrdU incorporation (r = .68, P = .003) and autoradiography (r = .57, P = .02) in regenerating liver. BrdU incorporation and PCNA expression were higher in hepatectomized rats as compared to sham-operation rats at days 1-4 after hepatectomy. Flow cytometry of propidium-stained nuclei from livers of hepatectomized rats showed a higher proportion of S-phase nuclei as compared to S-phase nuclei in control rats. The correlation coefficients of the number of S-phase nuclei, BrdU-positive nuclei and PCNA-positive nuclei were .39 (P < .02) and .56 (P < .0005), respectively. CONCLUSION: Flow cytometry and PCNA expression are simple and reliable methods of studying proliferation in metastases containing rat liver after partial hepatectomy.

Monoclonal immunoglobulin A derived from peritoneal B cells is encoded by both germ line and somatically mutated VH genes and is reactive with commensal bacteria.

We transferred peritoneal cells from BALB/c mice into C.B17 scid/scid mice. Six to eight months after injection, only cells with the B1 phenotype were retained in the spleens and peritoneal cavities of these mice. The lamina propria of the intestine contained many peritoneal, donor-derived, immunoglobulin A (IgA)-producing cells. The mesenteric lymph nodes of these mice were found to be a major site of proliferation and generation of IgA plasmablasts. We established eight IgA-producing hybridomas from the mesenteric lymph nodes of such mice, and all the hybridomas reacted with different but partially overlapping fecal bacterial populations. Cloning and sequencing of the VH genes of these hybridomas showed that two hybridomas utilized germ line-encoded VH genes while the VH genes of the six hybridomas showed somatic mutations, some of which are indicative of an antigen-driven selection process.