A 14,000 MW lipoprotein and a glycolipid-like structure of Borrelia burgdorferi induce proliferation and immunoglobulin production in mouse B cells at high frequencies.
Sonicated preparations of Borrelia burgdorferi are able to stimulate unselected resting BALB/c spleen cells to proliferate and to produce immunoglobulin in vitro. FACS analysis of target cells prestained with an integrated cell-surface marker as well as cell-depletion experiments demonstrate that the majority of responding lymphocytes are B cells. Limiting dilution analyses of resting B cells revealed high frequencies of cells producing IgM (F 1/11-1/62) or IgG (F 1/5-1/163) in response to B. burgdorferi sonicate (B.b. sonicate). These numbers were similar to those obtained with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (IgM: F 1/20-1/84; IgG: F 1/14-1/85) or a synthetic lipopeptide of Braun's Escherichia coli lipoprotein (IgM: F 1/15, 1/19; IgG: F 1/148, 1/34). The mitogenic structure(s) expressed by B. burgdorferi is distinct from LPS, as similar proliferative responses were obtained with B cells from LPS-resistant (C57BL/10ScCr and C3H/HeJ) and LPS-susceptible (C57BL/10ScSn, C3H/HeN) mice. Furthermore, B-cell mitogenic properties were also found in two distinct fractions of a phenol-chloroform-petroleum ether extract of B. burgdorferi: they consisted of a lipoprotein distinct from the outer surface proteins (Osp) A and B and glycolipid-like structures, respectively. These data suggest that spirochetes express a multitude of distinct structures with mitogenic activity for B cells including various lipoproteins as well as glycolipid(s).
Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, Germany.
N
N
Honarvar
U E
UE
Schaible
C
C
Galanos
R
R
Wallich
M M
MM
Simon
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008934:Mitogens / Q000276:immunology*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006017:Glycolipids; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008934:Mitogens; D003208:Concanavalin A