Dependence of germinal center B cells on expression of CD21/CD35 for survival.
Affinity-driven selection of B lymphocytes within germinal centers is critical for the development of high-affinity memory cells and host protection. To investigate the role of the CD21/CD35 coreceptor in B cell competition for follicular retention and survival within the germinal center, either Cr2+ or Cr2null lysozyme-specific transgenic B cells were adoptively transferred into normal mice immunized with duck (DEL) or turkey (TEL) lysozyme, which bind with different affinities. In mice injected with high-affinity turkey lysozyme, Cr2null B cells responded by follicular retention; however, they could not survive within germinal centers. This suggests that CD21 provides a signal independent of antigen that is required for survival of B cells in the germinal center.
Fischer
M B
MB
Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Goerg
S
S
Shen
L
L
Prodeus
A P
AP
Goodnow
C C
CC
Kelsoe
G
G
Carroll
M C
MC
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009113:Muramidase / Q000276:immunology; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d; D009113:Muramidase