Differential responsiveness of immature- and mature-stage murine B cells to anti-IgM reflects both FcR-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
Mature and immature B cells differ in their responses to antigen receptor crosslinking. Whereas mature B cells enter cell cycle in response to such stimulation, immature B cells exhibit proliferative unresponsiveness and undergo induced tolerance following surface immunoglobulin (sIg) engagement. Previous studies evaluating antigen receptor-mediated negative signaling have utilized intact goat anti-immunoglobulin (anti-Ig) antibodies as polyclonal ligands based upon observations that the Fc portion of these reagents does not interact with and mediate negative signaling through the FcR on mature B cells. Thus, the negative effects of goat anti-Ig on immature B cells have been attributed solely to signals mediated via their antigen receptors. In the studies reported here we show that the activation unresponsiveness inherent to immature B cells is FcR independent. However, we also show that immature B cells are sensitive to FcR-mediated inhibition and that these effects can be mediated by intact goat antibodies at concentrations that promote positive activation signals in mature B cells. Our results demonstrate that inhibition of immature B cell LPS responses by anti-Ig antibodies, used in previous studies as an in vitro model for B cell tolerance induction, is an FcR-mediated phenomenon. We show that developmentally associated anti-Ig-mediated inhibition of LPS requires the use of intact antibodies, and that this inhibition can be blocked by the anti-FcR monoclonal antibody 2.4G2. Flow cytometric analysis of FcR-positive B cells indicates that both mature and immature B cells express equivalent levels of FcR gamma. Therefore, the sensitivity of immature, but not mature, cells to intact goat anti-mu antibodies suggests that either FcRs or their associated inhibitory pathways change during B cell development.
Yellen-Shaw
A
A
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-6142.
Monroe
J G
JG
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006041:Goats; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011817:Rabbits; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000502:physiology*
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D011961:Receptors, Fc