HMGB1-neutralizing IgM antibody is a normal component of blood plasma

Y Geng, G Munirathinam, S Palani, JE Ross… - The Journal of …, 2020 - journals.aai.org
Y Geng, G Munirathinam, S Palani, JE Ross, B Wang, A Chen, G Zheng
The Journal of Immunology, 2020journals.aai.org
Extracellular high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a prototypic damage-associated
molecular pattern. Although a homeostatic level of extracellular HMGB1 may be beneficial
for immune defense, tissue repair, and tissue regeneration, excessive HMGB1 is linked to
inflammatory diseases. This prompts an intriguing question: how does a healthy body
control the level of extracellular HMGB1? In this study, in the plasma of both healthy humans
and healthy mice, we have identified an anti-HMGB1 IgM autoantibody that neutralizes …
Abstract
Extracellular high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a prototypic damage-associated molecular pattern. Although a homeostatic level of extracellular HMGB1 may be beneficial for immune defense, tissue repair, and tissue regeneration, excessive HMGB1 is linked to inflammatory diseases. This prompts an intriguing question: how does a healthy body control the level of extracellular HMGB1? In this study, in the plasma of both healthy humans and healthy mice, we have identified an anti-HMGB1 IgM autoantibody that neutralizes extracellular HMGB1 via binding specifically to a 100% conserved epitope, namely HMW4 (HMGB1 98–112). In mice, this anti-HMW4 IgM is produced by peritoneal B-1 cells, and concomitant triggering of their BCR and TLR4 by extracellular HMGB1 stimulates the production of anti-HMW4 IgM. The ability of extracellular HMGB1 to induce its own neutralizing Ab suggests a feedback loop limiting the level of this damage-associated molecular pattern in a healthy body.
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