Predominant autoantibody production by early human B cell precursors. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • During B lymphocyte development, antibodies are assembled by random gene segment reassortment to produce a vast number of specificities. A potential disadvantage of this process is that some of the antibodies produced are self-reactive. We determined the prevalence of self-reactive antibody formation and its regulation in human B cells. A majority (55 to 75%) of all antibodies expressed by early immature B cells displayed self-reactivity, including polyreactive and anti-nuclear specificities. Most of these autoantibodies were removed from the population at two discrete checkpoints during B cell development. Inefficient checkpoint regulation would lead to substantial increases in circulating autoantibodies.

publication date

  • August 14, 2003

Research

keywords

  • Autoantibodies
  • B-Lymphocytes

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0041689676

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1126/science.1086907

PubMed ID

  • 12920303

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 301

issue

  • 5638