Immunoglobulin Heavy Variable (IgHV)

IGHV is the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region genes; in B-cell neoplasms like chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mutations of IGHV are associated with better responses to some treatments and with prolonged survival.Immunoglobulins (Ig) are the antigen recognition molecules of B cells. An Ig molecule is made up of 2 identical heavy chains and 2 identical light chains joined by disulfide bonds so that each heavy chain is linked to a light chain and the 2 heavy chains are linked together. Each Ig heavy chain has an N-terminal variable (V) region containing the antigen-binding site and a C-terminal constant (C) region, encoded by a C region gene, that provides effector or signaling functions. The heavy chain V region is encoded by 3 types of genes: V genes, joining (J) genes, and diversity (D) genes.