A reappraisal of immunoglobulin variable gene primers and its impact on assessing clonal relationships between PB B cells and BM plasma cells in AL amyloidosis

J Clin Immunol. 2011 Dec;31(6):1029-37. doi: 10.1007/s10875-011-9582-y. Epub 2011 Sep 10.

Abstract

Monoclonal tumor plasma cells as well as non-terminally differentiated B cells having a clonal relationship to the tumor cells have been detected in the peripheral blood (PB) of some multiple myeloma (MM) patients but rarely in light chain (primary systemic) amyloidosis (AL) patients. Previously, our group found these peripheral clonotypic B cells in three AL patients. Here, we report detailed analysis of a larger cohort of AL patients to validate the prior findings and to investigate the effect of this cell population on clinical outcome. Fourteen AL patients were selected from a clinical prospective trial, and the relationship between immunoglobulin light chain variable gene (V(L)) representation in PB B cells and the clonal population in the bone marrow (BM) was investigated. A clonal relationship was not detected, and the present study provides important insights into the disparity with the earlier data, including clinical history of the patients and methodological analysis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloidosis / genetics
  • Amyloidosis / immunology*
  • Amyloidosis / pathology
  • Antigens, CD19 / metabolism
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism*
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology
  • Blood Circulation / immunology
  • Bone Marrow / immunology
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic
  • Clone Cells
  • DNA / analysis
  • DNA Primers
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / genetics*
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / genetics*
  • Lymphopoiesis
  • Multiple Myeloma / genetics
  • Multiple Myeloma / immunology*
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology
  • Plasma Cells / immunology
  • Plasma Cells / metabolism*
  • Plasma Cells / pathology
  • Prospective Studies

Substances

  • Antigens, CD19
  • DNA Primers
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • DNA