title: IgA response in preterm neonates shows little evidence of antigen-driven selection.
abstract: After birth, contact to environmental Ags induces the production of IgA, which represents a first line of defense for the neonate. We sought to characterize the maturation of the repertoire of IgA H chain transcripts in circulating blood B cells during human ontogeny. We found that IgA H chain transcripts were present in cord blood as early as 27 wk of gestation and that the restrictions of the primary Ab repertoire (IgM) persisted in the IgA repertoire. Thus, B cells harboring more "mature" V(H) regions were not preferred for class switch to IgA. Preterm and term neonates expressed a unique IgA repertoire, which was characterized by short CDR-H3 regions, preference of the J(H) proximal D(H)7-27 gene segment, and very few somatic mutations. During the first postnatal months, these restrictions were slowly released. Preterm birth did not measurably accelerate the maturation of the IgA repertoire. At a postconceptional age of 60 wk, somatic mutation frequency of IgA H chain transcripts reached 25% of the adult values but still showed little evidence of Ag-driven selection. These results indicate that similar to IgG, the IgA repertoire expands in a controlled manner after birth. Thus, the IgA repertoire of the newborn has distinctive characteristics that differ from the adult IgA repertoire. These observations might explain the lower affinity and specificity of neonatal IgA Abs, which could contribute to a higher susceptibility to infections and altered responses to vaccinations, but might also prevent the development of autoimmune and allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Philipps University Marburg, 35033 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rogosch
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kerzel
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoss
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hoersch
authors.forename: Cosima
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zemlin
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heckmann
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berek
authors.forename: Harry W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.forename: Rolf F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zemlin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D000916:Antibody Diversity; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D005312:Fetal Blood; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000276:immunology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000235:genetics*; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000235:genetics; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D012333:RNA, Messenger