Abstract
Natural antibodies are often dismissed from immunological analysis as "background," but they may play an important role in conferring immunity against infections. In antibody-free mice infected with various viruses or with Listeria monocytogenes, viral or bacterial titers in peripheral organs, including the kidney and brain, were 10 to 100 times greater than in antibody-competent mice (and enhanced their susceptibility to some infections), and titers in secondary lymphoid organs were 10 to 100 times lower than in antibody-competent mice. Thus, natural antibodies play a crucial role by preventing pathogen dissemination to vital organs and by improving immunogenicity through enhanced antigen-trapping in secondary lymphoid organs.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
-
Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
-
Antibodies, Viral / blood
-
Antibodies, Viral / immunology
-
Bacterial Infections / immunology*
-
Bacterial Infections / microbiology
-
Germ-Free Life
-
Immunity, Innate*
-
Immunoglobulin M / blood
-
Immunoglobulin M / immunology*
-
Kidney / microbiology
-
Kidney / virology
-
Listeria monocytogenes / immunology
-
Listeria monocytogenes / physiology
-
Listeriosis / immunology
-
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / immunology
-
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / physiology
-
Lymphoid Tissue / immunology
-
Lymphoid Tissue / microbiology
-
Lymphoid Tissue / virology
-
Mice
-
Mice, Inbred C57BL
-
Neutralization Tests
-
Rhabdoviridae Infections / immunology
-
Rhabdoviridae Infections / virology
-
Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
-
Spleen / microbiology
-
Spleen / virology
-
Vaccinia virus / immunology
-
Vaccinia virus / physiology
-
Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / immunology
-
Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / physiology
-
Virus Diseases / immunology*
-
Virus Diseases / virology
-
Virus Replication
Substances
-
Antibodies, Bacterial
-
Antibodies, Viral
-
Immunoglobulin M