AUTHOR=Seledtsov Victor I. , Seledtsova Galina V. 

TITLE=A Possible Role for Idiotype/Anti-idiotype B–T Cell Interactions in Maintaining Immune Memory

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2017

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2017.00409

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2017.00409

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=Variable regions of both  B-cell receptors (BCRs) and T-cell receptors (TCRs)  are completely  formed in the postnatal period, and, consequently, no innate immune tolerance    against these structures exists  in  adulthood.  Indeed, antibodies (Abs) specific to TCRs have been found in both animals and humans. These  facts clearly indicate the existence of B cells able to  directly interact with T cells through binding of BCRs to  TCRs without implicating  Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules. A novel paradigm    is proposed in that the immune  memory is based on idiotype (Id)/anti-idiotype (anti-Id) interactions occurring between BCRs and TCRs following    clearance of the antigen (Ag) that elicited immune responses. It is envisaged that direct contact between memory T and B cells  could provide costimulatory signals needed to sustain viability, growth and differentiation of the interacting immune cells. In contrast, plasma cells originating from memory B-cells could produce anti-TCR Abs that inhibit direct BCR-to-TCR interactions, thereby down-regulating the B-to-T-cell contact-based  immune memory via a negative feedback mechanism.