title: Anti-Sm autoantibodies in MRL mice: analysis of precursor frequency.
abstract: Individual MRL-lpr mice vary in their capacity to generate anti-Sm autoantibodies spontaneously. We have compared the frequency of B-cell precursors for this autoantibody in serologically negative and serologically positive MRL-lpr mice, and in normals. Anti-Sm precursors were present in a frequency of approximately 1 per 10-30,000 in spleen cell cultures from anti-Sm positive mice, but were undetectable when spleen cells from serologically negative MRL-lpr mice or from normal mice were examined. Despite LPS stimulation, neither IgM nor IgG precursors could be detected. In parallel cultures, in contrast, anti-DNA autoantibody precursors were readily detected. The results thus indicate that, for the lupus-specific autoantibodies, the absence of antibody in autoimmune mice reflects a deficit in precursor B lymphocytes rather than an active regulatory mechanism. It is suggested that the generation of anti-Sm may reflect a low-probability random event in the generation of B-cell diversity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000276:immunology; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains / Q000276:immunology*; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D055517:snRNP Core Proteins
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear; D055517:snRNP Core Proteins