Aquaporin-5–specific heavy chain VDJ knock-in (A5H) mice reveal molecular mimicry–driven initiation and diversification of autoreactive B-cell responses - Takeaways - MDSpire

Aquaporin-5–specific heavy chain VDJ knock-in (A5H) mice reveal molecular mimicry–driven initiation and diversification of autoreactive B-cell responses

  • By

  • Hyunjin Kim

  • Nayoon Lee

  • Sabin Acharya

  • Sungmin Kim

  • Youngnim Choi

  • July 2, 2026

  • 0 min

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  • 1

    A5H mice are a knock-in model designed to study B-cell responses to molecular mimicry involving aquaporin-5.

  • 2

    These mice show normal B-cell development but have reduced anergy-associated B cells and increased mimic-reactive B cells.

  • 3

    A5H mice produce anti-PmE-L antibodies at steady state, but anti-AQP5E autoantibodies are undetectable until immunization.

  • 4

    Immunization with PmE-L recruits mimic-reactive B cells into germinal center responses, leading to anti-AQP5E autoantibody production.

  • 5

    Allelic inclusion enhances autoreactive B-cell activation, with stronger autoantibody responses observed in heterozygous A5H mice.

Original Source(s)

Aquaporin-5–specific heavy chain VDJ knock-in (A5H) mice reveal molecular mimicry–driven initiation and diversification of autoreactive B-cell responses

  • by Hyunjin Kim, Nayoon Lee, Sabin Acharya, Sungmin Kim, Youngnim Choi

  • July 2, 2026

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