scholarly journals Development of self-reactive germinal center B cells and plasma cells in autoimmune FcγRIIB-deficient mice

2010 ◽  
Vol 207 (12) ◽  
pp. 2767-2778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Tiller ◽  
Juliane Kofer ◽  
Cornelia Kreschel ◽  
Christian E. Busse ◽  
Stefan Riebel ◽  
...  

Abnormalities in expression levels of the IgG inhibitory Fc gamma receptor IIB (FcγRIIB) are associated with the development of immunoglobulin (Ig) G serum autoantibodies and systemic autoimmunity in mice and humans. We used Ig gene cloning from single isolated B cells to examine the checkpoints that regulate development of autoreactive germinal center (GC) B cells and plasma cells in FcγRIIB-deficient mice. We found that loss of FcγRIIB was associated with an increase in poly- and autoreactive IgG+ GC B cells, including hallmark anti-nuclear antibody–expressing cells that possess characteristic Ig gene features and cells producing kidney-reactive autoantibodies. In the absence of FcγRIIB, autoreactive B cells actively participated in GC reactions and somatic mutations contributed to the generation of highly autoreactive IgG antibodies. In contrast, the frequency of autoreactive IgG+ B cells was much lower in spleen and bone marrow plasma cells, suggesting the existence of an FcγRIIB-independent checkpoint for autoreactivity between the GC and the plasma cell compartment.

2022 ◽  
Vol 219 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Liu ◽  
Yongshan Zhao ◽  
Hai Qi

T-dependent humoral responses generate long-lived memory B cells and plasma cells (PCs) predominantly through germinal center (GC) reaction. In human and mouse, memory B cells and long-lived PCs are also generated during immune responses to T-independent antigen, including bacterial polysaccharides, although the underlying mechanism for such T-independent humoral memory is not clear. While T-independent antigen can induce GCs, they are transient and thought to be nonproductive. Unexpectedly, by genetic fate-mapping, we find that these GCs actually output memory B cells and PCs. Using a conditional BCL6 deletion approach, we show memory B cells and PCs fail to last when T-independent GCs are precluded, suggesting that the GC experience per se is important for programming longevity of T-independent memory B cells and PCs. Consistent with the fact that infants cannot mount long-lived humoral memory to T-independent antigen, B cells from young animals intrinsically fail to form T-independent GCs. Our results suggest that T-independent GCs support humoral memory, and GC induction may be key to effective vaccines with T-independent antigen.


2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (32) ◽  
pp. 9063-9068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilushi S. De Silva ◽  
Michael M. Anderson ◽  
Amanda Carette ◽  
Kathryn Silva ◽  
Nicole Heise ◽  
...  

The NF-κB signaling cascade relays external signals essential for B-cell growth and survival. This cascade is frequently hijacked by cancers that arise from the malignant transformation of germinal center (GC) B cells, underscoring the importance of deciphering the function of NF-κB in these cells. The NF-κB signaling cascade is comprised of two branches, the canonical and alternative NF-κB pathways, mediated by distinct transcription factors. The expression and function of the transcription factors of the alternative pathway, RELB and NF-κB2, in late B-cell development is incompletely understood. Using conditional deletion of relb and nfkb2 in GC B cells, we here report that ablation of both RELB and NF-κB2, but not of the single transcription factors, resulted in the collapse of established GCs. RELB/NF-κB2 deficiency in GC B cells was associated with impaired cell-cycle entry and reduced expression of the cell-surface receptor inducible T-cell costimulator ligand that promotes optimal interactions between B and T cells. Analysis of human tonsillar tissue revealed that plasma cells and their precursors in the GC expressed high levels of NF-κB2 relative to surrounding lymphocytes. Accordingly, deletion of nfkb2 in murine GC B cells resulted in a dramatic reduction of antigen-specific antibody-secreting cells, whereas deletion of relb had no effect. These results demonstrate that the transcription factors of the alternative NF-κB pathway control distinct stages of late B-cell development, which may have implications for B-cell malignancies that aberrantly activate this pathway.


1998 ◽  
Vol 187 (8) ◽  
pp. 1169-1178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Arpin ◽  
Odette de Bouteiller ◽  
Diane Razanajaona ◽  
Isabelle Fugier-Vivier ◽  
Francine Brière ◽  
...  

Human myeloma are incurable hematologic cancers of immunoglobulin-secreting plasma cells in bone marrow. Although malignant plasma cells can be almost eradicated from the patient's bone marrow by chemotherapy, drug-resistant myeloma precursor cells persist in an apparently cryptic compartment. Controversy exists as to whether myeloma precursor cells are hematopoietic stem cells, pre–B cells, germinal center (GC) B cells, circulating memory cells, or plasma blasts. This situation reflects what has been a general problem in cancer research for years: how to compare a tumor with its normal counterpart. Although several studies have demonstrated somatically mutated immunoglobulin variable region genes in multiple myeloma, it is unclear if myeloma cells are derived from GCs or post-GC memory B cells. Immunoglobulin (Ig)D-secreting myeloma have two unique immunoglobulin features, including a biased λ light chain expression and a Cμ–Cδ isotype switch. Using surface markers, we have previously isolated a population of surface IgM−IgD+CD38+ GC B cells that carry the most impressive somatic mutation in their IgV genes. Here we show that this population of GC B cells displays the two molecular features of IgD-secreting myeloma cells: a biased λ light chain expression and a Cμ–Cδ isotype switch. The demonstration of these peculiar GC B cells to differentiate into IgD-secreting plasma cells but not memory B cells both in vivo and in vitro suggests that IgD-secreting plasma and myeloma cells are derived from GCs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristian Assing ◽  
Christian Nielsen ◽  
Marianne Jakobsen ◽  
Charlotte B. Andersen ◽  
Kristin Skogstrand ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Germinal center derived memory B cells and plasma cells constitute, in health and during EBV reactivation, the largest functional EBV reservoir. Hence, by reducing germinal center derived formation of memory B cells and plasma cells, EBV loads may be reduced. Animal and in-vitro models have shown that IL-21 can support memory B and plasma cell formation and thereby potentially contribute to EBV persistence. However, IL-21 also displays anti-viral effects, as mice models have shown that CD4+ T cell produced IL-21 is critical for the differentiation, function and survival of anti-viral CD8+ T cells able to contain chronic virus infections. Case presentation We present immunological work-up (flow-cytometry, ELISA and genetics) related to a patient suffering from a condition resembling B cell chronic active EBV infection, albeit with moderately elevated EBV copy numbers. No mutations in genes associated with EBV disease, common variable immunodeficiency or pertaining to the IL-21 signaling pathway (including hypermorphic IL-21 mutations) were found. Increased (> 5-fold increase 7 days post-vaccination) CD4+ T cell produced (p < 0.01) and extracellular IL-21 levels characterized our patient and coexisted with: CD8+ lymphopenia, B lymphopenia, hypogammaglobulinemia, compromised memory B cell differentiation, absent induction of B-cell lymphoma 6 protein (Bcl-6) dependent peripheral follicular helper T cells (pTFH, p = 0.01), reduced frequencies of peripheral CD4+ Bcl-6+ T cells (p = 0.05), compromised plasmablast differentiation (reduced protein vaccine responses (p < 0.001) as well as reduced Treg frequencies. Supporting IL-21 mediated suppression of pTFH formation, pTFH and CD4+ IL-21+ frequencies were strongly inversely correlated, prior to and after vaccination, in the patient and in controls, Spearman’s rho: − 0.86, p < 0.001. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of elevated CD4+ IL-21+ T cell frequencies in human EBV disease. IL-21 overproduction may, apart from driving T cell mediated anti-EBV responses, disrupt germinal center derived memory B cell and plasma cell formation, and thereby contribute to EBV disease control.


Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 95 (7) ◽  
pp. 2321-2328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiko Kuwahara ◽  
Mikoto Yoshida ◽  
Eisaku Kondo ◽  
Atsuko Sakata ◽  
Yuko Watanabe ◽  
...  

Abstract Antigen (Ag) immunization induces formation of the germinal center (GC), with large, rapidly proliferating centroblasts in the dark zone, and small, nondividing centrocytes in the light zone. We identified a novel nuclear protein, GANP, that is up-regulated in centrocytes. We found that GANP was up-regulated in GC B cells of Peyer's patches in normal mice and in spleens from Ag-immunized mice. GANP-positive cells appeared in the light zone of the GC, with coexpression of the peanut agglutinin (PNA) (PNA)-positive B220-positive phenotype. The expression of GANP was strikingly correlated with GC formation because Bcl6-deficient mice did not show the up-regulation of GANP. GANP-positive cells were mostly surrounded by follicular dendritic cells. Stimulation with anti-μ and anti-CD40 induced up-regulation of ganp messenger RNA as well as GANP protein in B220-positive B cells in vitro. GANP is a 210-kd protein localized in both the cytoplasm and nuclei, with a homologous region to Map80 that is associated with MCM3, a protein essential for DNA replication. Remarkably, GANP is associated with MCM3 in B cells and MCM3 is also up-regulated in the GC area. These results suggest that the up-regulation of GANP might participate in the development of Ag-driven B cells in GCs through its interaction with MCM3.


2005 ◽  
Vol 201 (6) ◽  
pp. 993-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Gatto ◽  
Thomas Pfister ◽  
Andrea Jegerlehner ◽  
Stephen W. Martin ◽  
Manfred Kopf ◽  
...  

Humoral immune responses are thought to be enhanced by complement-mediated recruitment of the CD21–CD19–CD81 coreceptor complex into the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) complex, which lowers the threshold of B cell activation and increases the survival and proliferative capacity of responding B cells. To investigate the role of the CD21–CD35 complement receptors in the generation of B cell memory, we analyzed the response against viral particles derived from the bacteriophage Qβ in mice deficient in CD21–CD35 (Cr2−/−). Despite highly efficient induction of early antibody responses and germinal center (GC) reactions to immunization with Qβ, Cr2−/− mice exhibited impaired antibody persistence paralleled by a strongly reduced development of bone marrow plasma cells. Surprisingly, antigen-specific memory B cells were essentially normal in these mice. In the absence of CD21-mediated costimulation, Qβ-specific post-GC B cells failed to induce the transcriptional regulators Blimp-1 and XBP-1 driving plasma cell differentiation, and the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2, which resulted in failure to generate the precursor population of long-lived plasma cells residing in the bone marrow. These results suggest that complement receptors maintain antibody responses by delivery of differentiation and survival signals to precursors of bone marrow plasma cells.


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