Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
11
pubmed:dateCreated
2010-5-20
pubmed:abstractText
Immunologic memory is a hallmark of the vertebrate immune system. The first antigenic exposure leads to a slow and modest immune response, whereas repeated exposure, even many years later, leads to a rapid and exaggerated response that is two to three orders of magnitude greater than the primary. In the case of humoral immunity, the increased efficacy of recall responses is due to the production of amplified levels of Ag-specific Ab, as well as the accelerated kinetics of their production. Current thinking suggests that this is due to selective activation of long-lived, Ag-specific memory B cells. A downside of restricting secondary responses solely to memory cells is that the repertoire of the memory B cell pool remains static while pathogens continue to evolve. In this study, we propose that during secondary responses, naive Ag-specific B cells participate alongside memory cells. We show that immune complexes formed in vivo between the Ag and pre-existing Abs from the primary response activate these naive B cells, inducing them to respond with accelerated kinetics and increased magnitude. Thus, the continued recruitment of new B cell clones after each antigenic exposure enables the immune system to stay abreast of rapidly changing pathogens.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
1550-6606
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:day
1
pubmed:volume
184
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
6293-8
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2010
pubmed:articleTitle
Immune complex-mediated enhancement of secondary antibody responses.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't