PMID: 9438199Jan 23, 1998Paper

Immunoglobulin heavy chain junctional diversity in young and aged humans

Human Immunology
W XueJ E Berman

Abstract

The causes of observed deficiencies to the humoral immune response in aged humans are unknown. Since a major source of antibody diversity is generated at the VH-D-JH junctional regions of the immunoglobulin heavy chain, we determined whether differences in junctional diversity are manifested with aging. We compared the CDR3 regions of IgM heavy chain transcripts isolated from young adult and aged humans. A PCR assay that measures CDR3 length in the majority of mu-heavy chains showed the same average size and normal range of CDR3 length in aged individuals as observed in young adults. To characterize the features of junctional diversity of aged adults in more detail, we determined the CDR3 sequences of a subset of the mu-heavy chain repertoire that utilizes members of the VH 5 family. In general CDR3 length, D family usage, and JH gene usage were similar in aged compared to young adults. Thus, in contrast to dramatic changes in heavy chain junctional diversity associated with fetal to adult development, no major differences were found between young and aged adults. Since the CDR3 repertoire generated in aged individuals appears to be as diverse as that observed in younger adults, the decline in humoral immunocompetence with agin...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 18, 2010·Immunogenetics·Robert L SchelonkaHarry W Schroeder
Apr 4, 2007·Immunology and Cell Biology·Ravit SaadaRamit Mehr
Nov 7, 2008·Aging Cell·Kate L GibsonDeborah K Dunn-Walters
Apr 15, 2014·Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine·Céline RenéJean-François Eliaou
Oct 21, 1999·Clinical Immunology : the Official Journal of the Clinical Immunology Society·X Wang, B D Stollar
Nov 24, 2006·Diagnostic Molecular Pathology : the American Journal of Surgical Pathology, Part B·Pietro Maria DonisiVincenzo Stracca-Pansa
May 1, 2013·The Journal of Immunology : Official Journal of the American Association of Immunologists·Jennifer BenichouYoram Louzoun

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