US EPA

538689 

Journal Article 

Regulation of autoreactive antibodies 

Yurasov, S; Nussenzweig, MC 

2007 

0 

Current Opinion in Rheumatology
ISSN: 1040-8711
EISSN: 1531-6963 

19 

5 

421-426 

English 

Purpose of review Significant progress has been made over recent years in uncovering the B-cell tolerance mechanisms that control development of autoreactive antibodies. This review examines current knowledge on the regulation and selection of autoreactive B cells in mouse models, and in healthy humans and patients with autoimmune disorders. Recent findings Autoreactive B cells undergo stringent selection, the bone marrow or peripheral circulation by induction of anergy, or receptor editing. There is growing evidence that receptor editing represents the primary physiologic B-cell tolerance mechanism. Several checkpoints against autoreactive B cells have been established in bone marrow and peripheral blood of healthy humans. Recent studies demonstrate that some autoimmune disorders are associated with several alterations in B-cell tolerance checkpoints and often lead to a greater number of autoreactive B cells in the, circulation. Summary Discovering the precise nature of B-cell tolerance alterations in patients with autoimmune disease will lead to the identification of new targets for therapeutic interventions in patients with these disorders. 

antibody; autoimmunity; B cells; b-cell tolerance; systemic-lupus-erythematosus; v-h replacement; marginal zone; allelic inclusion; antigen receptors; escape tolerance; mechanism; repertoire; autoantibodies