REGULATION OF ANTI-DNA B-CELLS IN RECOMBINATION-ACTIVATING GENE-DEFICIENT MICE

Anti-DNA antibodies are regulated in normal individuals but are found in high concentration in the serum of systemic lupus erythematosus (SL E) patients and the MRT, lpr/lpr mouse model of SLE. We previously stu died the regulation of anti-double-stranded (ds)DNA and anti-single-st randed (ss)DNA B cells in a nonautoimmune background by generating mic e carrying immunoglobulin transgenes coding for anti-DNAs derived from MRL lpr/lpr Anti-dsDNA B cells undergo receptor editing, but anti-ssD NA B cells seem to be functionally silenced. Here we have investigated how anti-DNA B cells are regulated in recombination-activating gene ( RAG)-2(-/-) mice. In this setting, anti-dsDNA B cells are eliminated b y apoptosis in the bone marrow and anti-ssDNA B cells are partially ac tivated.