The frequency of LPS-responsive B cells to autologous and heterologous thyroglobulin.
The frequency of precursors within the mouse splenic B cell pool, reactive with mouse thyroglobulin (mTg) was estimated using a limiting dilution assay system. The mean frequency was found to be 1/3900 B cells. The results provide a minimal estimate of the frequency of mTg-reactive B cells. The frequency of mTg-reactive B cells was not influenced by the MHC locus, as both high- and low-responder strains showed similar frequencies. While the frequency of B cells reactive to human Tg was found to be similar to that reactive to mTg, only 20% of the mTg-reactive clones also cross-react with human Tg. Similarly, only 30% of huTg reactive clones were found to react with mTg. Therefore, a large proportion of Tg-reactive antibodies are restricted to self-determinants and not determinants to conserved regions of the Tg molecule.
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Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013045:Species Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000276:immunology*
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D013954:Thyroglobulin