Heavy chain variable region gene utilization in human antibodies

Abstract

We have sequenced by the polymerase chain reaction the heavy chain variable regions of over thirty human antibodies of defined specificity. The distribution of VH families in this group of antibodies is disproportionately skewed toward the recently discovered VH gene families. Within a family, there is also a disproportional use of individual gene segments. Numerous explanations for these imbalances are discussed.