Toronto, Nov 27, : Canadian researchers discovered a key role in the formation of antibodies.These antibodies help the immune system fight viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and bacteria. Researchers discovered that FAM72A, a gene, facilitates the production of high-quality antibody by enabling an enzyme called AID (for Activation Induced Deaminase), as demonstrated by the researchers.
Although immunologists have known for over two decades that AID is necessary to produce antibodies capable in clearing infections, the mechanism behind its effects has remained a mystery.
Alberto Martin, a professor of immunology in the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, said that “our findings answer the long-standing query of how AID works.”
He said that FAM72A allows AID to promote mutations of antibody genes essential for the development effective antibodies.
Mutagenesis is a process that results in permanent changes to DNA.Mutagenesis is a process that occurs in the context of antibody production.It involves AID-driven mechanisms such as somatic hypermutation or class switch recombination, which both help antibodies to gain the diversity and power they need to combat a wide variety of pathogens.
These results, published in Nature, will allow researchers to better understand antibody development.However, they have implications for cancer research.
Uncontrolled mutagenesis of B cells that produce antibodies is linked with B cell lymphoma.FAM72A is also found in other cancers, such as breast, lung, liver, lung, and ovarian.
Martin stated that data shows that FAM72A has a high level of activity in the body, which promotes mutations in antibody genes.This could lead to an increase in cancer progression, growth, or drug resistance through increased mutagenesis.
Martin’s team is currently exploring these possibilities.Interestingly, human beings have four versions of FAM72A, which is different from other mammals.Their roles in cancer prevention and antibody production are still unknown.
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