Direct activation of human B lymphocytes by Candida albicans-derived mannan antigen.
We have studied the activation of human resting B cells by a carbohydrate antigen, mannan, with a polymannose branched repetitive structure. Mannan has been extracted from the cell wall of the Candida albicans yeast. For this purpose, dense G0 B lymphocytes were purified from tonsils. Mannan antigen was shown to trigger B cell activation, since an increase of cell volume and RNA synthesis occurred. B cell proliferation was observed following addition of recombinant interleukin 2, but not following addition of recombinant interleukin 4 or low-molecular-weight BCGF. The B cell activation appears to be mannan-specific since B cells obtained from mannan-sensitized subjects but not from unsensitized subjects were responsive. The observation that mannan antigen can directly activate specific dense B lymphocytes can be related to the previous observation that the in vitro anti-mannan antibody production does not require a cognate T-B cell interaction.
Mangeney
M
M
U 132 INSERM, Hôpital des Enfants-Malades, Paris, France.
Fischer
A
A
Le Deist
F
F
Latgé
J P
JP
Durandy
A
A
D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology*; D000955:Antigens, T-Independent / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008351:Mannans / Q000276:immunology*; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis
D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D000955:Antigens, T-Independent; D008351:Mannans; D012313:RNA