The Journal of Immunology, Vol 158, Issue 7 3252-3258, Copyright © 1997 by American Association of Immunologists

ARTICLES

Control by Ig genes of the responsiveness to a neutralization viral B cell epitope

C Leclerc, P Martineau, B Charlot, F Delpeyroux, S van der Werf and M Hofnung
Unit of Biology of Immunological Regulations, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France.

In the present study, we analyzed the capacity of seven strains of mice to produce Abs against the neutralization poliovirus C3 B cell epitope, chemically or genetically linked to two different carrier proteins (MalE and keyhole limpet hemocyanin) or to recombinant hepatitis B surface Ag particles. Following immunization with these different immunogens, all strains of mice developed high Ab titers against the carrier proteins. However, only four strains of mice developed a significant Ab response against the poliovirus C3 B cell epitope. Indeed, in contrast to BALB/c, DBA/1, DBA/2, and 129 sv mice, C57BL/6, C3H, and CBA/J mice failed to produce anti-C3 Abs after immunization with the various C3 immunogens. Using various H-2 congenic strains on BALB/c or C57BL/10 background, this study clearly showed that the response to the C3 B cell epitope is not controlled by MHC genes. In contrast, analysis of anti-C3 Ab responses in IgH congenic mouse lines on BALB/c or C57BL/6 background demonstrated that the capacity to respond to this B cell epitope is controlled by genes closely linked to V(H) genes. This study therefore represents the first demonstration that the V(H) polymorphism can limit the Ab response to a viral neutralization epitope, and therefore has important implications for vaccine development.