Antibody can act as a B cell blocker

Researchers have discovered a type of antibody that blocks normal immune responses in chronic HIV infection. NIH researchers studied blood samples from people at different stages of HIV infection and compared them with samples from people without HIV. They found that a type of antibody called immunoglobulin G3 (IgG3) hangs around in the blood of people with chronic, uncontrolled HIV infection. IgG3 binds to the surface of B cells, blocking them from responding to pathogens. The researchers showed that IgG3 levels drop once effective antiretroviral treatment starts, providing another reason why controlling (or curing) HIV is important. Read more