# CONTROL OF ANTIBODY DIVERSITY AND EXPRESSION

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 1988 · $234,004

## Abstract

The immune response to the natural hapten, phosphocholine (PC),
is derived from three different VL which pair with a single VH.
Extensive diversity is found in the expressed antibodies of each
VH/VL pair and is due to usage of different DH, junctional
diversity and somatic point mutations.  We have recently found
that different PC-containing microbes stimulate preferential
expression of one or two of the three VH/VL gene pairs.  The most
dramatic occurs in the PC-specific response to Proteus morganii
in which only a single idiotype is expressed.  Analysis of anti-PC
mRNA isolated from hybridomas reveals that the mature response
is confined to a single VH/VL gene pair and diversity is dependent
on somatic mutation.  The most striking finding is that the
response in individual mice seems to originate from as few as one
precursor B lymphocyte.  Our main goal is to use this example of
an immune response to evaluate the somatic evolution of antibody
diversity.  Using hybridoma methodology and molecular biological
technics, we propose to investigate the clonality of the anti-PC
response to P.  morganii in order to gain an understanding of the
origins of clonal diversity; the time of commitment of B cell
precursors and the influence of environment on acquisition of
commitment; the impact of antigen and somatic mutation on
selection and clonal expansion; and the nature of regulatory cells
that might contribute to clonal expansion and clonal dominance.
We expect that new and significant information will also be
forthcoming about the nature of B cell memory.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3125216
- **Project number:** 5R01AI012533-14
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **SAM.gov UEI:** GNJ7BBP73WE9
- **Principal Investigator:** J. LATHAM CLAFLIN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $234,004
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1978-04-01 → 1992-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3125216

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3125216, CONTROL OF ANTIBODY DIVERSITY AND EXPRESSION (5R01AI012533-14). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3125216. Licensed CC0.

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