title: Antigen processing and presentation by small and large B cells.
abstract: We have investigated the ability of different cells from non-immunized mice of the BALB/c strain to present antigen to two ovalbumin-specific I-Ad-restricted T hybridomas. Lipopolysaccharide-activated B-cell blasts were found to be the most efficient antigen-presenting cells. Purified small and dense splenic B cells also stimulated the hybridomas, although not to the same extent as the activated blasts, but comparable to non-fractionated spleen cells. Glutaraldehyde-treated B cells failed to present antigen, whereas F(ab')2 anti-mouse IgM-treated B cells exhibited markedly increased ability to present antigen. Using flow cytometry, we further purified the resting B cells by sorting the small lymphocytes to ensure that the ability of these cells to activate the hybridomas was not due to contamination with large non-resting B cells. The sorted small B cells retained the ability of antigen presentation. Their resting state was confirmed by the fact that they did not incorporate [3H]-thymidine as shown by autoradiographic analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gontijo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Möller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002469:Cell Separation; D005260:Female; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010047:Ovalbumin