The urodele amphibian Pleurodeles waltl has a diverse repertoire of immunoglobulin heavy chains with polyreactive and species-specific features.
Urodele amphibians are an interesting model because although they possess the cardinal elements of the vertebrate immune system, their immune response is apparently subdued. This phenomenon, sometimes regarded as a state of immunodeficiency, has been attributed by some authors to limited antibody diversity. We reinvestigated this issue in Pleurodeles waltl, a metamorphosing urodele, and noted that upsilon transcripts of its IgY repertoire were as diverse as alpha transcripts of the mammalian IgA repertoire. Mu transcripts encoding the IgM repertoire were less diverse, but could confer more plasticity. Both isotypes present potential polyreactive features that may confer urodele antibodies with the ability to bind to a variety of antigens. Finally, we observed additional cysteines in CDR1 and 2 of the IGHV5 and IGHV6 domains, some of which specific to urodeles, that could allow the establishment of a disulfide bond between these CDRs. Together, these data suggest that urodele antibody diversity is not as low as previously thought.
EA7300, Stress Immunity Pathogens Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Lorraine, 9 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, F-54500, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
Coralie
C
Fonte
Molecular and Structural Enzymology Group, Université de Lorraine, IMoPA, UMR 7365, F-54500, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
Arnaud
A
Gruez
EA7300, Stress Immunity Pathogens Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Lorraine, 9 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, F-54500, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
Stéphanie
S
Ghislin
EA7300, Stress Immunity Pathogens Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Lorraine, 9 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, F-54500, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France. Electronic address: jean-pol.frippiat@univ-lorraine.fr.
Jean-Pol
JP
Frippiat
D000818:Animals; D000916:Antibody Diversity; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000235:genetics*; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000235:genetics; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000235:genetics; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008322:Mammals; D010999:Pleurodeles / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D013045:Species Specificity
D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions; D000939:Epitopes; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D003545:Cysteine
Antibody; Cold-blooded vertebrate; Diversity; Gene segments; Polyreactivity