Recurrent utilization of genetic elements in V regions of antinucleic acid antibodies from autoimmune mice

Two IgG anti-DNA and two IgG anti-RNA autoantibodies derived from lupus prone NZB/NZW F1 mice have been analyzed for their Ag fine specificities and for their H and L chain V-region sequences. A remarkable similarity of VH gene sequences with previously sequenced antinucleic acid autoantibodies (Eilat, D., D. M. Webster and A. R. Rees. J. Immunol. 141:1745, 1988) was noted. This finding indicates that a small number of unique VH genes is involved in this autoimmune response and that the sequences of these genes are correlated with the different specificities for the autoantigen. The VK sequences appeared, by computer search, to be selected nonrandomly, but their use was not restricted to autoantibodies. An additional striking feature was evident in the construction of the D region elements, giving rise to CDR3 peptides that can interact with DNA and RNA. These constructs probably include D-D fusion products, which are relatively rare in Ig rearrangements.