Immunoglobulin M: An Ancient Antiviral Weapon – Rediscovered
Recent discoveries have shed new light onto immunoglobulin M (IgM), an ancient antibody class preserved throughout evolution in all vertebrates. First, IgM – long thought to be a perfect pentamer – was shown to be asymmetric, resembling a quasi-hexamer missing one monomer and containing a gap. Secon...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01943/full |
| _version_ | 1819169297695506432 |
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| author | Siqi Gong Siqi Gong Ruth M. Ruprecht Ruth M. Ruprecht |
| author_facet | Siqi Gong Siqi Gong Ruth M. Ruprecht Ruth M. Ruprecht |
| author_sort | Siqi Gong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent discoveries have shed new light onto immunoglobulin M (IgM), an ancient antibody class preserved throughout evolution in all vertebrates. First, IgM – long thought to be a perfect pentamer – was shown to be asymmetric, resembling a quasi-hexamer missing one monomer and containing a gap. Second, this gap allows IgM to serve as carrier of a specific host protein, apoptosis inhibitor of macrophages (AIM), which is released to promote removal of dead-cell debris, cancer cells, or pathogens. Third, recombinant IgM delivered mucosally by passive immunization gave proof-of-concept that this antibody class can prevent mucosal simian-human immunodeficiency virus transmission in non-human primates. Finally, IgM’s role in adaptive immunity goes beyond being only a first defender to respond to pathogen invasion, as long-lived IgM plasma cells have been observed predominantly residing in the spleen. In fact, IgM produced by such cells contained somatic hypermutations and was linked to protection against lethal influenza virus challenge in murine models. Importantly, such long-lived IgM plasma cells had been induced by immunization 1 year before challenge. Together, new data on IgM function raise the possibility that vaccine strategies aimed at preventing virus acquisition could include this ancient weapon. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T19:17:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1f5eff6c2a894ca299852638f4069a6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T19:17:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1f5eff6c2a894ca299852638f4069a6e2022-12-21T18:15:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242020-08-011110.3389/fimmu.2020.01943571113Immunoglobulin M: An Ancient Antiviral Weapon – RediscoveredSiqi Gong0Siqi Gong1Ruth M. Ruprecht2Ruth M. Ruprecht3New Iberia Research Center, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, New Iberia, LA, United StatesDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United StatesNew Iberia Research Center, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, New Iberia, LA, United StatesDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United StatesRecent discoveries have shed new light onto immunoglobulin M (IgM), an ancient antibody class preserved throughout evolution in all vertebrates. First, IgM – long thought to be a perfect pentamer – was shown to be asymmetric, resembling a quasi-hexamer missing one monomer and containing a gap. Second, this gap allows IgM to serve as carrier of a specific host protein, apoptosis inhibitor of macrophages (AIM), which is released to promote removal of dead-cell debris, cancer cells, or pathogens. Third, recombinant IgM delivered mucosally by passive immunization gave proof-of-concept that this antibody class can prevent mucosal simian-human immunodeficiency virus transmission in non-human primates. Finally, IgM’s role in adaptive immunity goes beyond being only a first defender to respond to pathogen invasion, as long-lived IgM plasma cells have been observed predominantly residing in the spleen. In fact, IgM produced by such cells contained somatic hypermutations and was linked to protection against lethal influenza virus challenge in murine models. Importantly, such long-lived IgM plasma cells had been induced by immunization 1 year before challenge. Together, new data on IgM function raise the possibility that vaccine strategies aimed at preventing virus acquisition could include this ancient weapon.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01943/fullIgM structureIgM functionrecombinant monoclonal IgMpassive mucosal immunization with IgMprevention of mucosal virus transmission by IgMvaccine-induced long-lived IgM plasma cells |
| spellingShingle | Siqi Gong Siqi Gong Ruth M. Ruprecht Ruth M. Ruprecht Immunoglobulin M: An Ancient Antiviral Weapon – Rediscovered Frontiers in Immunology IgM structure IgM function recombinant monoclonal IgM passive mucosal immunization with IgM prevention of mucosal virus transmission by IgM vaccine-induced long-lived IgM plasma cells |
| title | Immunoglobulin M: An Ancient Antiviral Weapon – Rediscovered |
| title_full | Immunoglobulin M: An Ancient Antiviral Weapon – Rediscovered |
| title_fullStr | Immunoglobulin M: An Ancient Antiviral Weapon – Rediscovered |
| title_full_unstemmed | Immunoglobulin M: An Ancient Antiviral Weapon – Rediscovered |
| title_short | Immunoglobulin M: An Ancient Antiviral Weapon – Rediscovered |
| title_sort | immunoglobulin m an ancient antiviral weapon rediscovered |
| topic | IgM structure IgM function recombinant monoclonal IgM passive mucosal immunization with IgM prevention of mucosal virus transmission by IgM vaccine-induced long-lived IgM plasma cells |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01943/full |
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