title: Nerve growth factor is an autocrine survival factor for memory B lymphocytes.
abstract: Production of nerve growth factor (NGF) was assessed in cultures of human T and B lymphocytes and macrophages. NGF was constitutively produced by B cells only, which also expressed surface p140trk-A and p75NGFR molecules and hence efficiently bound and internalized the cytokine. Neutralization of endogenous NGF caused disappearance of Bcl-2 protein and apoptotic death of resting lymphocytes bearing surface IgG or IgA, a population comprising memory cells, while surface IgM/IgD "virgin" B lymphocytes were not affected. In vivo administration of neutralizing anti-NGF antibodies caused strong reduction in the titer of specific IgG in mice immunized with tetanus toxoid, nitrophenol, or arsonate and reduced numbers of surface IgG or IgA B lymphocytes. Thus, NGF is an autocrine survival factor for memory B lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torcia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bracci-Laudiero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucibello
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nencioni
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Labardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubartelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cozzolino
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aloe
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garaci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000276:immunology*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020917:Receptor, trkA