Similarities and differences between the light and heavy chain Ig variable region gene repertoires in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Analyses of Ig V(H)DJ(H) rearrangements expressed by B-CLL cells have provided insights into the antigen receptor repertoire of B-CLL cells and the maturation stages of B-lymphocytes that give rise to this disease. However, less information is available about the L chain V gene segments utilized by B-CLL cells and to what extent their characteristics resemble those of the H chain. We analyzed the V-L and J(L) gene segments of 206 B-CLL patients, paying particular attention to frequency of use and association, mutation status, and LCDR3 characteristics. Approximately 40% of B-CLL cases express V-L genes that differ significantly from their germline counterparts. Certain genes were virtually always mutated and others virtually never. In addition, preferential pairing of specific V-L and J(L) segments was found. These findings are reminiscent of the expressed VH repertoire in B-CLL. However unlike the V-H repertoire, V-L gene use was not significantly different than that of normal B-lymphocytes. In addition, V kappa genes that lie more upstream on the germline locus were less frequently mutated than those at the 3' end of the locus; this was not the case for V lambda genes and is not for V-H genes. These similarities and differences between the IgH and IgL V gene repertoires expressed in B-CLL suggest some novel features while also reinforcing concepts derived from studies of the IgH repertoire.