Somatic mutation of human immunoglobulin V genes in the X-linked hyperIgM syndrome

Somatic mutation of Ig variable regions occurs prominently in germinal centers, but it has been debated whether the mutation process initiates in germinal centers or is activated before germinal center entry of B cells. We have analyzed for the presence of somatic mutation in Ig gene rearrangements of the nonpolymorphic human V(H6) gene in the X-linked HyperIgM syndrome, which is associated with defective CD40 ligand expression and absence of germinal centers and generation of memory B lymphocytes. IgM and rare IgG V(H6) productive rearrangements were isolated from PBL of patients with X- linked HyperIgM syndrome. Although the majority of both the IgM and IgG V(H6) rearrangements had a germline V(H6) sequence, 7 of 102 V(H6) IgM and I of 6 IgG rearrangements had a mutated V(H6) gene. The mutation frequency (mutations/bp) was 1.4% with a range of 2-9 mutations per clone, a mutation frequency lower, however, than that observed in IgM (3.2%) and IgG (5.4%) V(H6) rearrangements of normal individuals. These results suggest that somatic mutation may be initiated in a CD40 ligand-independent pathway before entry of B cells into germinal centers, but fails to achieve the high mutation frequency observed in the presence of germinal centers.