Maternal IgG stimulates B lineage cell development in the progeny.
To examine the physiological role of maternal natural IgG antibodies on the development of B lineage cells of the progeny, we have bred homozygous muMT/muMT or heterozygous muMT/+ females to muMT/muMT or muMT/+ males, respectively. We could thus compare normal or B cell-deficient mice born from Ig-deprived (Ig-) or phenotypically normal mothers (Ig+). B cell-deficient progeny of heterozygous mothers contain no detectable serum IgA or IgM, but IgG concentrations that peak at 2 mg/ml by 7-21 days of age, decay after weaning with a half-life of 7 days, and remain detectable for 2 months after birth. At 7 days after birth, muMT/+ progeny born of Ig+ mothers contain two- to threefold higher numbers of bone marrow (BM) pre-B and B cells, and of splenic B cells, compared to mice of the same age born from Ig mothers. In contrast, the former progeny exhibit two to four times lower numbers of Ig-secreting plasma cells in spleen and thymus, and contain sixfold lower serum IgM concentrations. A similar maternal IgG-dependent stimulation of BM B cell precursors is also observed in muMT/muMT progeny. No significant differences were detected between the groups on day 3 after birth, suggesting the requirement for a minimal IgG concentration in the serum.
Malanchère
E
E
Unité d'Immunobiologie, CNRS URA 1961, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France. emalanch@pasteur.fr
Huetz
F
F
Coutinho
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000166:cytology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M