Polyclonal activation of murine B lymphocytes by immune complexes.
Murine splenic B lymphocytes are stimulated by homologous immune complexes to proliferate and secrete polyclonal antibody. The use of antibody from whole serum or monoclonal antibodies to form complexes resulted in the stimulation of mouse B lymphocytes. The ratio of antibody to antigen appears to be critical for the generation of the polyclonal antibody response. Because antigen and antibody are added independently at culture initiation, the exact nature of the complex is unknown, but optimal polyclonal antibody formation occurs in slight antigen excess. Immune complex-induced polyclonal antibody production requires the presence of both macrophages and T cells, whereas B cell proliferation requires only macrophages. The role of the macrophage appears to be to cleave a low m.w. (17,000) fragment from the complex, which is responsible for lymphocyte activation.
D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D010047:Ovalbumin