Peripheral deletion of self-reactive B cells.
B LYMPHOCYTES are key participants in the immune response because of their specificity, their ability to take up and present antigens to T cells, and their capacity to differentiate into antibody-secreting cells. To limit reactivity to self antigens, autospecific B cells can be functionally inactivated or deleted. Developing B cells that react with membrane antigens expressed in the bone marrow are deleted from the peripheral lymphocyte pool. It is important to ascertain the fate of B cells that recognize membrane autoantigens expressed exclusively on peripheral tissues because B cells in the peripheral lymphoid organs are phenotypically and functionally distinct from bone-marrow B cells. Here we show that in immunoglobulin-transgenic mice, B cells specific for major histocompatibility complex class I antigen can be deleted if they encounter membrane-bound antigen at a post-bone-marrow stage of development. This deletion may be necessary to prevent organ-specific autoimmunity.
Russell
D M
DM
Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver, Colorado 80206.
Dembić
Z
Z
Morahan
G
G
Miller
J F
JF
Bürki
K
K
Nemazee
D
D
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D016923:Cell Death; D002999:Clone Cells; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D012333:RNA, Messenger