Altered Affinity Maturation in Primary Response to (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl) Acetyl (NP) after Autologous Reconstitution of Irradiated C57BL/6 Mice

Abstract

Immune responses developing in irradiated environment are profoundly altered. The memory anti-arsonate response of A/J mice is dominated by a major clonotype encoded by a single gene segment combination called CRIA. In irradiated and autoreconstituted A/J mice, the level of anti-ARS antibodies upon secondary immunization is normal but devoid of CRIA antibodies. The affinity maturation process and the somatic mutation frequency are reduced. Isotype switching and development of germinal centers (GC) are delayed