RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Maintenance of Serological Memory by Polyclonal Activation of Human Memory B Cells
JF Science
JO Science
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP 2199
OP 2202
DO 10.1126/science.1076071
VO 298
IS 5601
A1 Bernasconi, Nadia L.
A1 Traggiai, Elisabetta
A1 Lanzavecchia, Antonio
YR 2002
UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/298/5601/2199.abstract
AB Production of antibodies can last for a lifetime, through mechanisms that remain poorly understood. Here, we show that human memory B lymphocytes proliferate and differentiate into plasma cells in response to polyclonal stimuli, such as bystander T cell help and CpG DNA. Furthermore, plasma cells secreting antibodies to recall antigens are produced in vivo at levels proportional to the frequency of specific memory B cells, even several years after antigenic stimulation. Although antigen boosting leads to a transient increase in specific antibody levels, ongoing polyclonal activation of memory B cells offers a means to maintain serological memory for a human lifetime.