title: Hypergammaglobulinemia and autoantibody induction mechanisms in viral infections.
abstract: Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia is a characteristic of chronic inflammatory conditions, including persisting viral infections and autoimmune diseases. Here we have studied hypergammaglobulinemia in mice infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), which induces nonspecific immunoglobulins as a result of switching natural IgM specificities to IgG. The process is dependent on help from CD4+ T cells that specifically recognize LCMV peptides presented by B cells on major histocompatibility complex class II molecules. Thus, hypergammaglobulinemia may arise when specific helper T cells recognize B cells that have processed viral antigens irrespective of the B cell receptor specificity. This nonspecific B cell activation may contribute to antibody-mediated autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Immunology, University Hospital, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland. lhunziker@uhbs.ch
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hunziker
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Recher
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Macpherson
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciurea
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freigang
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hengartner
authors.forename: Rolf M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Zinkernagel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001117:Arenaviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001323:Autoantibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface