Low-affinity antibodies against collagen type II produced by lymph node cells are associated with pathology in collagen-induced arthritis in rats

Abstract

SUMMARYThe relalionship between the aiifinily of antibodies againsl type II collagen (CM) and arthritis was studied in rats immunized intradermally with bovine CM. Disease was associated with a higher tneaii titre of serum antibody and a lower mean functional antibody affinity (determined in a chaotropic dissociation assay) againsl both the immunizing bovine CI I and homologousautoantigenicrat ClI in comparison with the response in immunized rats that did noi develop disease. The functional affinity of the antibodies present in the serum was found to correlate with that of antibodies produced in culture by ceils from the lymph nodesdraining the site of immunization wilh collagen. The reduction in mean functional affinity in Ihe anti-collagen responsemay be the result ofthe increased production of aniibodies of the lowest affinity and a consequent broadening of the affinity heterogeneity. It is proposed that production of low-affinity antibodies in the lymph nodes draining the site of immunization wilh colhigcn is important in the pathogenesis of collagen-induced arthritis in rats.

Age‐Dependent Differences in IgG Isotype and Avidity Induced by Measles Vaccine Received during the First Year of Life

“…The process of affinity maturation results in antibody-producing cells that secrete antibodies with progressively higher affinities and faster on-rates [15]. Failure of affinity maturation may play a role in immune complex formation, delayed clearance of virus, poor neutralization of virus, and disease pathogenesis [16][17][18][19][20].…”