Affinity maturation refers to a process where the immune system improves the effectiveness of antibodies. It happens when the body encounters a specific germ or virus, and the immune system makes small changes in the antibodies over time to better recognize and fight that particular invader. This process helps our body to become better at defending itself against harmful infections.
Full definition
In this context, the Lingwood laboratory studies B cell antibody responses to both HIV and influenza with the goal of 1) understanding how antigenic sites of vulnerability are initially perceived by specific germline B cell receptor (BCR) sequences and 2) how that recognition process can direct
antibody affinity maturation toward production of broadly neutralizing anti-viral responses.
A research group led by Ryo Shinnakasu, Assistant Professor and Tomohiro Kurosaki, Professor at IFReC and a group at RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences jointly clarified that germinal - center B cells with
lower affinity maturation of antigens were easily differentiation - induced into memory B cells.
More specifically, rabbits have two antibodies
in affinity maturation mechanisms: gene conversion and hypermutation, as opposed to mice where no gene conversion occurs.
Can we design immunogens to stimulate specific B cell lineages, effectively launching «specific»
affinity maturation pathways that lead to broadly neutralizing anti-viral responses?
This group clarified that germinal - center B cells with lower
affinity maturation of antigens were easily differentiation - induced into memory B cells.
Iterative cycles of hypermutation and selection continue until antibodies of high antigen binding specificity emerge (
affinity maturation).
We would like to see some evidence that EBI2 expression in DCs affects antibody production / GC formation /
affinity maturation in a polyclonal response.