Surrogate light chain expressing human peripheral B cells produce self-reactive antibodies

J Exp Med. 2004 Jan 5;199(1):145-50. doi: 10.1084/jem.20031550. Epub 2003 Dec 29.

Abstract

Human B cells that coexpress surrogate and conventional light chains (V-preB+L+) show an unusual heavy and light chain antibody repertoire that display evidence of receptor editing. However, it is unclear whether V-preB+L+ B cells have been silenced by receptor editing or still express autoreactive antibodies. Here we report that 68% of the antibodies expressed by V-preB+L+ B cells are autoreactive. A majority of these autoantibodies are true antinuclear antibodies (ANA), and 50% of the ANAs are also reactive with a diverse group of antigens that include dsDNA, ssDNA, immunoglobulin, insulin, and bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Such antibodies are rarely encountered among conventional B cells. We conclude that V-preB+L+ B cells are a unique subset of normal circulating human B cells that escape central tolerance mechanisms and express self-reactive antibodies including potentially harmful ANAs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antibody Formation
  • Autoantibodies / chemistry
  • Autoantibodies / genetics*
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Epitopes / chemistry
  • Epitopes / genetics
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Epitopes
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains