Protective natural autoantibodies to apoptotic cells: evidence of convergent selection of recurrent innate-like clones.

ABSTRACT: During murine immune development, recurrent B cell clones arise in a predictable fashion. Among these B cells, an archetypical clonotypic set that recognizes phosphorylcholine (PC) antigens and produces anti-PC IgM, first implicated for roles in microbial protection, was later found to become expanded in hyperlipidemic mice and in response to an increased in vivo burden of apoptotic cells. These IgM natural antibodies can enhance clearance of damaged cells and induce intracellular blockade of inflammatory signaling cascades. In clinical populations, raised levels of anti-PC IgM correlate with protection from atherosclerosis and may also downmodulate the severity of autoimmune disease. Human anti-PC-producing clones without hypermutation have been isolated that can similarly discriminate ap

SUBMITTER: Silverman GJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4651665 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature