Humoral immunity is maintained by long-lived plasma cells, constitutively secreting antibodies, and nonsecreting resting memory B cells that are rapidly reactivated upon antigen encounter. The activation requirements for resting memory B cells, particularly the role of T helper cells, are unclear. To analyze the activation of memory B cells, mice were immunized with human cytomegalovirus, a complex human herpesvirus, and tick-born encephalitis virus, and a simple flavivirus. B cell populations devoid of Ig-secreting plasma cells were adoptively transferred into T and B cell–deficient RAG-1−/− mice. Antigenic stimulation 4–6 d after transfer of B cells resulted in rapid IgG production. The response was long lasting and strictly antigen specific, excluding polyclonal B cell activation. CD4+ T cells were not involved since (a) further depletion of CD4+ T cells in the recipient mice did not alter the antibody response and (b) recipient mice contained no detectable CD4+ T cells 90 d posttransfer. Memory B cells could not be activated by a soluble viral protein without T cell help. Transfer of memory B cells into immunocompetent animals indicated that presence of helper T cells did not enhance the memory B cell response. Therefore, our results indicate that activation of virus-specific memory B cells to secrete IgG is independent of cognate or bystander T cell help.
Activation of Virus-specific Memory B Cells in the Absence of T Cell Help
B. Hebeis,Karin Klenovsek,P. Rohwer,U. Ritter,A. Schneider,M. Mach,T. Winkler
Published 2004 in Journal of Experimental Medicine
ABSTRACT
PUBLICATION RECORD
- Publication year
2004
- Venue
Journal of Experimental Medicine
- Publication date
2004-02-16
- Fields of study
Biology, Medicine
- Identifiers
- External record
- Source metadata
Semantic Scholar, PubMed
CITATION MAP
EXTRACTION MAP
CLAIMS
CONCEPTS
- cd4+ t cells
Helper T lymphocytes assessed for their contribution to memory B-cell activation in the transfer experiments.
Aliases: CD4 T cells, helper T cells
- igg production
Secretion of immunoglobulin G measured as the antibody output of the transferred memory B cells.
Aliases: IgG response, antibody production
- polyclonal b cell activation
Broad, antigen-independent activation of multiple B-cell clones rather than a restricted antigen-specific response.
Aliases: polyclonal activation
- rag-1−/− mice
T- and B-cell-deficient recipient mice used as hosts for adoptive transfer experiments.
Aliases: RAG-1 knockout mice, RAG-1 deficient mice
- soluble viral protein
A purified viral protein presented as a nonparticulate antigen for testing memory B-cell activation.
Aliases: soluble protein
- virus-specific memory b cells
Resting memory B cells generated against viral antigens and used here as the transferred responding B-cell population.
Aliases: memory B cells
REFERENCES
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