title: Induction of germinal center B cell markers in vitro by activated CD4+ T lymphocytes: the role of CD40 ligand, soluble factors, and B cell antigen receptor cross-linking.
abstract: Following primary immunization, B cells differentiate to memory cells with help from T cells. The specialized path to B cell memory takes place in lymphoid germinal centers (GC), where mouse B cells up-regulate peanut agglutinin receptor (PNA-R), B7-2 (CD86), and MHC class II expression. Using an in vitro culture system, we have studied how different stimuli can enhance the expression of these markers. We show that PNA-R is up-regulated when splenic B cells are cocultured with anti-CD3-stimulated CD4+, but not CD8+, T cells and that this process requires CD40-CD40 ligand engagement. Increased expression of PNA-R is also inducible with supernatants of activated CD4+, but not CD8+, T cells in combination with mitogenic signals, such as anti-Ig, anti-CD40, or LPS, but not by either supernatants or mitogenic signals alone. Unlike with PNA-R, increased expression of B7-2 and I-A occurs in response to activated T cells of either CD4+ and CD8+ subsets or their supernatants, does not require CD40 costimulation, and is readily induced with mitogenic signals alone. Taken together, these results indicate that PNA-R up-regulation has more restricted signaling requirements than B7-2 or I-A, and that it can be induced/maintained by Ag receptor cross-linking or CD40 engagement, as long as there is an appropriate cytokine milieu.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201, USA.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Lahvis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cerny
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000502:physiology*; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; C497965:Cd86 protein, mouse; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen; C038223:peanut agglutinin receptor; D023201:CD40 Ligand