Analysis of V kappa genes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial B lymphocytes provides evidence for both polyclonal activation and antigen-driven selection.

To define mechanisms of sustained activation of synovial B lymphocytes in RA, we studied hybridomas established from the local synovial B cell repertoire of two RA patients for V kappa gene expression and for antigen-binding specificity. The analyses revealed that members of the main V kappa families (I, II and III) were utilized at frequencies consistent with random V kappa gene family use. Furthermore, although the hybridomas expressed genes frequently seen in response to other self- and exogenous antigens, only one V kappa I- and two of three V kappa III-expressing hybridomas exhibited reactivity with self-antigens. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that all hybridomas, with the exception of rheumatoid factor (RF)-producing hybridomas, expressed V kappa genes highly related to known germ-line genes (99.3-100% homology) and that diversity was generated by deletions and random nucleotide insertions at the V kappa-J kappa junction. Examination of the few nucleotide changes seen with the V kappa genes revealed a predominance of silent to replacement changes. Moreover, most of these changes can be attributable either to allotypic variations or to limited random nucleotide replacements independent of antigen selection. In contrast, one IgG-RF (B4D8) exhibited predominantly replacement nucleotide changes in the complementarity-determining regions, suggestive of antigen-driven selection. The random expression of immunoglobulin variable region genes with no, or little, evidence of mutation in the synovial B lymphocyte repertoire, including natural polyreactive antibodies, alongside mutated IgG-RF, suggest that both polyclonal activation and antigen-driven responses occur in RA synovia.