title: Differentiation of membrane IgE+ rat B cells into IgE-secreting cells.
abstract: Rat spleen cells were stimulated with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and the IgM and IgE responses were assessed. An enrichment of the cell suspension with IgE-bearing cells before stimulation resulted in an increase in the number of IgE-secreting cells. A decrease of the number of IgE-secreting cells was found after depletion of IgE- or IgM-bearing cells, but not those bearing IgD molecules on their membranes, before stimulation. Moreover, the stimulation of membrane IgE on B cells with anti-IgE antibodies was shown to increase the number of IgE-secreting cells after PWM-induced differentiation in vitro. In vivo, it was also observed that a single injection of anti-IgE antibodies can induce the differentiation of IgE-secreting cells. These results demonstrate the presence of IgE(+)-IgM (+)-IgD- B cells in the rat that are responsive to PWM-induced differentiation into IgE-secreting cells. They indicate a pre-commitment of these cells at a stage where they still express IgM on their surface. IgE molecules on the cell membranes play a role in their differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Immunology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vanhove
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bazin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E