Journal article

Characterization of Antibodies Directed against the Immunoglobulin Light kappa Chain Variable Chain Region (VK) of Hepatitis C Virus-Related Type-II Mixed Cryoglobulinemia and B-Cell Proliferations

Valli de Re, Maria Paola Simula, Alessandro Pavan, Marica Garziera, Dolores Marin, Riccardo Dolcetti, Salvatore de Vita, Domenico Sansonno, Silvano Geremia, Giuseppe Toffoli, Y Shoenfeld (ed.), ME Gershwin (ed.)

CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES IN AUTOIMMUNITY | WILEY-BLACKWELL | Published : 2009

Abstract

Autoimmune type-II cryoglobulinemia (II-MC) is sustained by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and B-cell (oligo)clones. This is the reason why the disease may be considered an "indolent B-cell lymphoma (NHL)." B clones show a restricted use of immunoglobulin variable genes (BCR), in particular in the use of the variable kappa (VK)3-20/15 light chain, and show a homology between their BCR functional regions and those of autoimmune rheumatoid factors. We underlined the BCR unique repertoire with frequent rheumatoid factor activity also observed in other autoimmune disorders associated with NHL. The immunoglobulin idiotype is a clonal B-cell marker and an ideal target for immunotherapy. Five mo..

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