RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A mechanism of T cell dependent selection of antigen engaged Germinal Center B cells
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 061879
DO 10.1101/061879
A1 Vinod Krishna
A1 Kurtis E. Bachman
YR 2016
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/07/05/061879.abstract
AB A model of B cell affinity selection is proposed, and an explanation of peripheral tolerance mechanisms through antibody repertoire editing is presented. We show that affinity discrimination between B cells is driven by a competition between obtaining T cell help and removal of B cells from the light zone, either through apoptosis or by a return to the dark zone of germinal centers. We demonstrate that this mechanism also allows for the negative selection of self reactive B cells and maintenance of B cell tolerance during the germinal center reaction. Finally, we demonstrate that clonal expansion upon return to the germinal center dark zone amplifies differences in the antigen affinity of B cells that survive the light zone.