期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：1998
卷号：95
期号：17
页码：10089-10093
DOI：10.1073/pnas.95.17.10089
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Accelerated development of the secondary immune response may be attributable in part to the rapid delivery of antigen to lymphoid follicles by circulating antibody elicited on primary immunization. Here we provide evidence indicating that the nonspecific IgM present in naive mice (natural antibody) plays a role in the acceleration of the primary response. Targeted deletion of the Ig {micro}s polyadenylation site by use of Cre recombinase allowed the creation of mice that, although harboring a normal number of B cells expressing surface IgM, completely lacked serum IgM while retaining the other Ig isotypes. These mice retained a broadly normal B lymphocyte distribution (although containing a somewhat expanded peritoneal B1a subset) but exhibited substantial delays in mounting affinity-matured IgG responses to T cell-dependent antigens. The T cell-independent response, however, was augmented. The data indicate that the IgM present before antigen challenge (as well, possibly, as that elicited immediately after immunization) accelerates maturation of the primary response, presumably by complexing with the antigen and facilitating lymphocyte activation and/or antigen trapping.
