[Antigenic determinants of human immunoglobulin light and heavy chain variable regions. Comparison with animal...

An antigenic analysis of human heavy and light chain variable region subgroups has been done on different animal species, by means of heterologous specific antisera using a hemagglutination-inhibition procedure. Excepted in lemur sera, where Vkappa III and Vlambda III are the only variable antigenic determinants found, all VL antigenic determinants tested were shown to be present in primates. In other mammals (carnivores, some rodents, some artiodactyls) several VL antigenic subgroup determinant were detected while others were not. No VL antigenic determinant was found in other classes studied. The VH III subgroup antigenic determinant was found among all primates, some mammals and avains. The results suggest that there has been more preservation in the variable region of immunoglobulin chains, and particularly VH III chain, than in the constant region of immuoglobulin molecule.