title: A novel molecular complex expressed on immature B cells: a possible role in T cell-independent B cell development.
abstract: To identify surface molecules that may play a role in regulating ileal Peyer's patch (PP) B cell growth, we generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and then selected them for a unique reactivity with ileal PP B cells. Flow cytometric analysis identified a mAb (SIC4.8R) that labeled 97% of ileal and 50-60% of jejunal PP sIgM+B cells. SIC4.8R also labeled a subpopulation of cortical thymocytes buy few B or T cells in other lymphoid tissues, including bone marrow. Immunohistochemistry revealed intense SIC4.8R staining of B cells in the cortex of ileal PP follicles. SIC4.8R also labeled bovine PP B cells, a murine pro-B cell line, and pre-B cells in human bone marrow. Protein chemistry revealed that a structurally similar molecular complex was expressed on sheep ileal PP B cells and thymocytes and murine pro-B cells. Addition of soluble SIC4.8R to cultured ileal PP B cells reduced apoptotic cell death, elevated proliferative responses, partially inhibited anti-Ig-induced cell death, and induced IL-4 responsiveness. In contrast, soluble SIC4.8R had an antiproliferative effect on a mouse pro-B cell line. Finally, SIC4.8R labeling declined following the stimulation of ileal PP B cells with CD40 ligand. In conclusion, the present investigation determined that SIC4.8R identified a novel molecular complex that is expressed at several stages of T cell-independent B cell development in a variety of mammalian species. This observation confirmed that PP B cells are developmentally distinct from other B cell populations in sheep and suggested that the bone marrow may not be a site of B lymphopoiesis in young lambs.
authors.affiliation: Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Griebel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ghia
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grawunder
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal