4 ms·

How do autoantibodies form and is there actually purpose for them - maybe moderating interferons? Are all interferon type 1 good or their number needs to be re

How do autoantibodies form and is there actually purpose for them - maybe moderating interferons? Are all interferon type 1 good or their number needs to be regulated? Perhaps it's ratio of interferon to autoantibody, not the actual number that is important?

minsc__and__boo 5y ago
Typically antibody-producing B-cells are screened for binding to self-antigens during their development inside bone marrow, where if they were the type to produce autoantibodies then they would be destroyed before even entering the body. Antigen matching is rarely 100% exact though, and it's possible that an antibody match could have partial binding to existing normal body proteins, especially if the virus is using those proteins itself. Hypothetically that would lead to an autoimmune response in addition to an immune response to the virus.
- jsmith45 5y ago
  True, but there is more to it then that, as even the B cells that leave the bone marrow are not hyper specific and capable of targeting multiple different antigens (they are still "naïve B cells"). The second level of differentiation that can result in highly specific antibodies does not occur until B cell activation. I suspect this means the helper T cells also play a role in preventing generation of auto-antibodies (at least for T cell-dependent (TD) antigens). And once the B-Cell is activated and forms a germal center to specialize, I'm not sure what if any negative selection system is used to prevent accidentally targeting autoantigens in addition the foreign antigen. (If an autoantigen is similar to the foreign antigen, then this seems like it is rather possible.) The whole process is crazy complicated. Like most of biology, it seems like a miracle that it even works at all, much less that is seems to generally work rather well in general, despite the problems that can occur.
  - minsc__and__boo 5y ago
    >I'm not sure what if any negative selection system is used to prevent accidentally targeting autoantigens in addition the foreign antigen From an evolution perspective, it may improve survival chances to form antibodies with partial autoimmune match and beat the infection, rather than form less antibodies period. Also because the infection is an immediate death threat, while autoimmune disorders (like Celiac's) can be a major inconvenience that doesn't stop reproduction.

minsc__and__boo 5y ago

Typically antibody-producing B-cells are screened for binding to self-antigens during their development inside bone marrow, where if they were the type to produce autoantibodies then they would be destroyed before even entering the body. Antigen matching is rarely 100% exact though, and it's possible that an antibody match could have partial binding to existing normal body proteins, especially if the virus is using those proteins itself. Hypothetically that would lead to an autoimmune response in addition to an immune response to the virus.

jsmith45 5y ago
True, but there is more to it then that, as even the B cells that leave the bone marrow are not hyper specific and capable of targeting multiple different antigens (they are still "naïve B cells"). The second level of differentiation that can result in highly specific antibodies does not occur until B cell activation. I suspect this means the helper T cells also play a role in preventing generation of auto-antibodies (at least for T cell-dependent (TD) antigens). And once the B-Cell is activated and forms a germal center to specialize, I'm not sure what if any negative selection system is used to prevent accidentally targeting autoantigens in addition the foreign antigen. (If an autoantigen is similar to the foreign antigen, then this seems like it is rather possible.) The whole process is crazy complicated. Like most of biology, it seems like a miracle that it even works at all, much less that is seems to generally work rather well in general, despite the problems that can occur.
- minsc__and__boo 5y ago
  >I'm not sure what if any negative selection system is used to prevent accidentally targeting autoantigens in addition the foreign antigen From an evolution perspective, it may improve survival chances to form antibodies with partial autoimmune match and beat the infection, rather than form less antibodies period. Also because the infection is an immediate death threat, while autoimmune disorders (like Celiac's) can be a major inconvenience that doesn't stop reproduction.