Differential regulation of self-reactivity discriminates between IgG+ human circulating memory B cells and bone marrow plasma cells

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Nov 1;108(44):18044-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1113395108. Epub 2011 Oct 24.

Abstract

Long-term humoral immunity is maintained by the formation of high-affinity class-switched memory B cells and long-lived antibody-secreting plasma cells. In healthy humans, a substantial fraction of IgG-positive memory B cells express self-reactive and polyreactive IgG antibodies that frequently develop by somatic mutations. Whether self- and polyreactive IgG-secreting B cells are also tolerated in the long-lived plasma cell pool is not known. To address this question, we cloned and expressed the Ig genes from 177 IgG-producing bone marrow plasma cells of four healthy donors. All antibodies were highly mutated but the frequency of self- and polyreactive IgG antibodies was significantly lower than that found in circulating memory B cells. The data suggest that in contrast to the development of memory B cells, entry into the bone marrow plasma cell compartment requires previously unappreciated selective regulation by mechanisms that limit the production of self- and polyreactive serum IgG antibodies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology*
  • Immunologic Memory*
  • Plasma Cells / immunology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G