Modelling the regulation of immunoglobulin class switching to IgE and IgG in human B cells to reduce animal use
A problem presented at the UK MMSG Cambridge 2014.
- Presented by:
- (Division of Asthma, Allergy & Lung Biology, King's College London)
- (Division of Asthma, Allergy & Lung Biology, King's College London)
- Participants:
Problem Description
Upon initiation of an immune response in the germinal centres of the lymph nodes, B cells can switch the isotype of the immunoglobulin they produce from IgM to one of the more "specialised" isotypes (IgG, IgE or IgA). This process, termed class switch recombination, requires a carefully choreographed series of events to take place including: gene transcription, DNA breakage and recombination, cell division and the regulation of apoptosis. Immunoglobulin class switch recombination to IgE can occur either directly from IgM or via IgG as an intermediate. We wish to investigate the kinetics of these reactions to understand which the rate limiting steps are and why production of IgE occurs less frequently than IgG. This will help us to better understand and target the mechanisms controlling immunoglobulin class switch in response to genuine and innocuous antigens.
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