Figure 1

Distribution of individual Vλ genes in B cells from the peripheral blood and from the parotid gland of a patient with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) compared with those of normal healthy subjects (NHS). The Vλ gene usage of normal donors is published elsewhere [11]. Vλ genes are arranged starting with the genes located within the A-cluster of the Vλ locus (J-proximal). The significant differences in the frequency of occurrence of 3H (P < 0.05)/7A^§ (P < 0.05)/1G^* (P < 0.005)/10A° (P < 0.005) gene rearrangements comparing the nonproductive and productive Vλ gene repertoire suggest processes of positive and negative selection of these Vλ gene segments.