Invariance and restriction toward a limited set of self-antigens characterize neonatal IgM antibody repertoires and prevail in autoreactive repertoires of healthy adults.
Analysis of the reactivity of IgM with self-antigens in tissues by a quantitative immunoblotting technique showed striking invariance among newborns in the human and in the mouse. The self-reactive repertoire of IgM of adults was also markedly conserved; it comprised most anti-self reactivities that prevailed among neonates. Multivariate analysis confirmed the homogeneity of IgM repertoires of neonates toward self- and non-self-antigens. Multivariate analysis discriminated between newborn and adult repertoires for reactivity with two of five sources of self-proteins and with non-self-antigens. Our observations support the concept that naturally activated B lymphocytes are selected early in development and throughout life for reactivity with a restricted set of self-antigens.
Mouthon
L
L
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 430, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France.
Nobrega
A
A
Nicolas
N
N
Kaveri
S V
SV
Barreau
C
C
Coutinho
A
A
Kazatchkine
M D
MD
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011247:Pregnancy
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001324:Autoantigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M