Persistence of memory B cells in mice deprived of T cell help.
The influence of T cell help on the induction, maintenance, and recall of B cell memory to a T cell-dependent antigen was studied in mice. The antigen was a hapten coupled to a protein carrier, and helper T cells were eliminated before, during, or after immunization by treatment of the animals with anti-CD4 antibodies. B cell memory was quantified in an adoptive cell transfer system, transferring B cells from the primed animals together with carrier-primed syngeneic T cells. Anti-CD4 treatment completely inhibited the induction of primary and secondary responses and of B cell memory. In contrast, it did not affect established B cell memory over a period of at least 6 weeks. Consequently, this suggests that within this time range B cell memory to a T cell-dependent antigen does not rely on the continuous recruitment of naive B cells into the memory compartment, and memory B cells need little or no (antigen-mediated) T cell help in order to persist.
Vieira
P
P
Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, FRG.
Rajewsky
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D015704:CD4 Antigens