Evolution of Autoantibody Responses via Somatic Hypermutation Outside of Germinal Centers
2002; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Volume: 297; Issue: 5589 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1126/science.1073924
ISSN1095-9203
AutoresJacqueline William, Chad W. Euler, Sean R. Christensen, Mark J. Shlomchik,
Tópico(s)Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
ResumoSomatically mutated high-affinity autoantibodies are a hallmark of some autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus. It has long been presumed that germinal centers (GCs) are critical in autoantibody production, because they are the only sites currently believed to sustain a high rate of somatic hypermutation. Contrary to this idea, we found that splenic autoreactive B cells in autoimmune MRL.Fas(lpr) mice proliferated and underwent active somatic hypermutation at the T zone-red pulp border rather than in GCs. Our results implicate this region as an important site for hypermutation and the loss of B cell self-tolerance.
Referência(s)