title: Induction of a germinal center phenotype in B cells in vitro by a Th2 cell line.
abstract: We have investigated the contribution of various stimuli for generating in vitro the changes in surface phenotype characteristic of B cells responding to a T-dependent antigen in a germinal center (GC). We show that, unlike many other stimuli such as B cell mitogens, cytokines, and surrogate antigen, alone or in combination, an alloreactive Th2 clonal line induces splenic B cells to become cell surface peanut agglutinin (PNA)(hi), Ig(lo), CD62L(lo), and CD44(hi) to produce mRNA for M17 and to express a GC-specific transgene even without B cell receptor ligation. Neither proliferation nor prior activation of responding B cells is needed, but B cells from CD45-null mice show reduced efficiency of this induction. These findings open up possibilities for separation and dissection of the various components of the GC response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morafo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rath
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Durdik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000502:physiology*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010641:Phenotype; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019013:CD40 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens