Intraclonal diversification in immunoglobulin isotype secretion: an analysis of switch probabilities.

The production of all immunoglobulin isotypes except IgD was studied in a large number of single lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-reactive B cell clones. The majority, but not all, of the IgM-producing clones were found to secrete one or more other isotypes. IgG3 and IgG2b were most frequently found while IgA secretion was extremely rare. Many clones produced all four IgG subclasses and the statistical analysis of the data indicates, with a high degree of significance, that single clonal precursors give rise to progenies producing multiple isotypes. By assuming that intraclonal diversification follows the C-gene order in chromosome 12, the absolute switch probabilities of normal, unprimed LPS-reactive B cells can be calculated. The multi-potentiality of C-gene expression was further analyzed at the single cell level: a sizeable fraction of all activated B cells express two different IgG isotypes in the membrane-bound form, indicating consecutive switch events. In contrast, the majority of IgE and IgA secreting cells appear to switch directly from IgM. These results might reflect the functional relevance of S-region homologies in the control of C-gene expression.