Repertoire of murine lambda-positive variable domains: polyclonal induction of lambda isotypes and their associated pattern of antibody specificities.

The diversity of lambda variable (V lambda) domains is extremely restricted when compared to those of VH and V kappa. In addition, each V lambda domain is determined by the C lambda domain. For these reasons, the lambda system is an excellent model for the study of the associated VH region repertoire. The study of V lambda domain diversity has been limited by the small contribution (approximately 5%) of lambda-bearing proteins to the total Ig pool. We now show that treatment of BALB/c mice with rabbit anti-lambda 1 antibodies coupled to lipopolysaccharide induces a production of polyclonal lambda 1 light chain-bearing Ig whereas, conversely, treatment with rabbit anti-lambda 2 antibodies induces a production of polyclonal lambda 2 + lambda 3 light chain-bearing Ig. The antigenic specificities of these two distinct lambda populations were then studied using B1355 dextran, (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP) and 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) as antigens. The anti-alpha(1-3)dextran antibody specificity was found to be mediated exclusively by antibodies bearing the lambda 1 isotype whereas the anti-NP and anti-DNP antibody specificities are mediated by both the lambda 1 and lambda 2 + lambda 3 isotypes. In addition, various mouse strains with the VHa or VHb allotypic haplotype and the rlo lambda 1 or r+ lambda 1 phenotype were treated with rabbit anti-lambda 1 antibodies. The lambda 1 anti-NP and anti-DNP antibody specificities were similar in all strains whereas the lambda 1 anti-alpha(1-3)dextran specificity was linked to the presence of the VHa allotypic haplotype. The mouse strains with the rlo lambda 1 or r+ lambda 1 phenotype did not differ in terms of their patterns of lambda 1 antibody specificities.