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Very low affinity B cells form germinal centers, become memory B cells, and participate in secondary immune responses when higher affinity competition is reduced.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Dal Porto, JM; Haberman, AM; Kelsoe, G; Shlomchik, MJ
Published in: J Exp Med
May 6, 2002

To understand the relationship between the affinity of the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) and the immune response to antigen, two lines of immunoglobulin H chain transgenic (Tg) mice were created. H50Gmu(a) and T1(V23)mu(a) mice express mu H chain transgenes that associate with the lambda1 L chains to bind the (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl hapten with association constants (K(a)s) of only 1.2 x 10(5) M(-1) and 3 x 10(4) M(-1), respectively. Both lines mounted substantial antibody-forming cell (AFC) and germinal center (GC) responses. H50Gmu(a) Tg mice also generated memory B cells. T1(V23)mu(a) B cells formed AFC and GCs, but were largely replaced in late GCs by antigen-specific cells that express endogenous BCRs. Thus, B lymphocytes carrying BCRs with affinities previously thought to be irrelevant in specific immune responses are in fact capable of complete T cell-dependent immune responses when relieved of substantial competition from other B cells. The failure to observe such B cells normally in late primary responses and in memory B cell populations is the result of competition, rather than an intrinsic inability of low affinity B cells.

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Published In

J Exp Med

DOI

ISSN

0022-1007

Publication Date

May 6, 2002

Volume

195

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1215 / 1221

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • T-Lymphocytes
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mice, SCID
  • Mice
  • Immunology
  • Immunologic Memory
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte
  • B-Lymphocytes
 

Citation

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Dal Porto, J. M., Haberman, A. M., Kelsoe, G., & Shlomchik, M. J. (2002). Very low affinity B cells form germinal centers, become memory B cells, and participate in secondary immune responses when higher affinity competition is reduced. J Exp Med, 195(9), 1215–1221. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20011550
Dal Porto, Joseph M., Ann M. Haberman, Garnett Kelsoe, and Mark J. Shlomchik. “Very low affinity B cells form germinal centers, become memory B cells, and participate in secondary immune responses when higher affinity competition is reduced.J Exp Med 195, no. 9 (May 6, 2002): 1215–21. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20011550.
Dal Porto, Joseph M., et al. “Very low affinity B cells form germinal centers, become memory B cells, and participate in secondary immune responses when higher affinity competition is reduced.J Exp Med, vol. 195, no. 9, May 2002, pp. 1215–21. Pubmed, doi:10.1084/jem.20011550.

Published In

J Exp Med

DOI

ISSN

0022-1007

Publication Date

May 6, 2002

Volume

195

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1215 / 1221

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • T-Lymphocytes
  • Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mice, SCID
  • Mice
  • Immunology
  • Immunologic Memory
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte
  • B-Lymphocytes