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Soluble antigen can cause enhanced apoptosis of germinal-centre B cells | | B Pulendran
; G Kannourakis
; S Nouri
; K G Smith
; G J Nossal
; | | Date: |
25 May 1995 | | Journal: | Nature, 375 (6529), 331-4 | | Abstract: | Germinal centres are dynamic microenvironments of B-lymphocyte differentiation, which develop in secondary lymphoid tissues during immune responses. Within germinal centres, activated B lymphocytes proliferate and point mutations are rapidly introduced into the genes encoding their immunoglobulin receptors. As a result, new specificities of B cells are created, including those with a heightened capacity to bind the immunizing antigen. Immunoglobulin gene mutation can also lead to reactivity to self antigens. It has been suggested that any newly formed self-reactive B cells are eliminated within the germinal centre in order to avoid autoimmunity. Here we present evidence that antigen-specific, high-affinity, germinal-centre B cells are rapidly killed by apoptosis in situ when they encounter soluble antigen. The effect seems to act directly on the B cells, rather than through helper T cells. Furthermore, the apoptosis is unique to germinal-centre cells, and is only incompletely impeded by constitutive expression of the proto-oncogene bcl-2. This phenomenon may reflect clonal deletion of self-reactive B cells within germinal centres. | | Source: | PubMed, pmid7753199 doi: 10.1038/375331a0 | | Services: | Forum | Review | Favorites | |
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