Receptor revision and somatic hypermutation-mechanisms of B cell diversification

• Main Author: Gallagher, Aoife M.
• Published: University of Edinburgh 2002
• Subjects: 616.07
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.669285

The production of high affinity antibodies is critical for providing effective protection against microbial agents. During the T cell dependent response to antigen, secondary diversification of the B cell receptor occurs. This provides a varied pool of B cells which can be selected and expanded resulting in affinity maturation of the response. This diversification is currently ascribed to somatic hypermutation. Both the molecular basis and the triggers for hypermutation have been studied in vitro. Recently the possibility that another process, receptor revision, might provide an additional means of diversification has emerged. Receptor revision involves the secondary rearrangement of the B cell receptor in the periphery, as yet no purpose for this process has been revealed. Experiments are described which investigate a potential contribution of receptor revision to affinity maturation. A pure population of transgenic B cells are adoptively transferred into chimaeric hosts and the affinity maturation of these cells is monitored in isolation. The development of the transfer system is documented and results presented which show no evidence for a role for receptor revision in affinity maturation.