The signal for tolerance in B cells is not transmitted through antigen-specific immunoglobulin receptors.
Studies of B cell tolerance at the single-cell level require a ready source of antigen-specific B cells that are uncontaminated by T cells or accessory cells. We have isolated normal dinitrophenyl (DNP)-specific B cells from spleens of unprimed mice and propagated these cells in vitro. These B cells are uncontaminated by T cells or macrophages. Long-term cultures of these cell lines contain pre-B cells that are surface (s) IgM-, B cells with sIgM alone, and more mature B cells with sIgM, sIgD, and Ia antigens. Using the cell line lymphocytes we have shown that the early binding of the tolerogenic form of hapten to B cell receptor on mature B cells induces the same activation signal as antigen, and the negative signal induced by tolerogen occurs after B cell activation. Exposure of maturing B cells to DNP bound to murine IgG2a (MGG) for 30 days does not inhibit growth or receptor expression, but does induce tolerance that is reversible when DNP-MGG is removed. A 45-day exposure to DNP-MGG also induces a reversible tolerance.
D019297:2,4-Dinitrophenol; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004140:Dinitrophenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*
D004140:Dinitrophenols; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D019297:2,4-Dinitrophenol