Self assertion modeled as a network repertoire of multi-determinant antibodies.
We study repertoire selection in a network of natural antibodies that is maintained by stimulatory idiotypic interactions. The natural antibody repertoire develops in an environment of self epitopes to which the self-reactive B cell clones are completely tolerant. For the modeling formalism, we extend the shape space framework so that each antibody is represented by several randomly chosen shapes. B cell clones are generated stochastically and are removed whenever their density falls below an extinction threshold. The idiotypic interactions are governed by a log bell-shaped interaction function. The natural antibody repertoire in the model is formed by percolation: the network is autonomously activated following a point stimulation. Our main conclusion is that the natural antibody repertoire organizes itself in such a way that most self epitopes are included in the repertoire. We find an over-representation of antibody determinants that are similar to self epitopes. We speculate that the network forms a "smoke screen" covering the somatic self.
Takumi
K
K
Department of Theoretical Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. takumi@binf.biol.ruu.nl,rdb@alive.biol.ruu.nl
De Boer
R J
RJ
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000502:physiology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000502:physiology*; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D017634:Self Tolerance; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D000939:Epitopes