title: Characterization of self-reactive B cells by polyclonal B-cell activators.
abstract: The existence of autoreactive B cells was predicted by theoretical considerations and, recently, confirmed by direct experiments. The aim of the present work was to investigate if the capacity of self-reactive B cells to be activated with different polyclonal B-cell activators (PBA) reflects the heterogeneity of the response as seen in all the Ig-positive cells. We injected mice with dextran sulfate, lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli 055:B5, and purified protein derivate of turbercle bacteria RT32 and studied the complement-dependent cytotoxicity against syngeneic spleen cells caused by the sera from injected mice with regard to the different parameters used for characterization of B-cell subpopulations. It was found that the capacity of self-reactive B cells to secrete antibodies reflects the polyclonal-activating capacity of the PBA used. The implications of these findings for the understanding of the triggering mechanism of B lymphocytes and for self-nonself discrimination are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003911:Dextrans / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000494:pharmacology; D014373:Tuberculin
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D003911:Dextrans; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D014373:Tuberculin