CD4+ T cells derived from B cell-deficient mice inhibit the establishment of peripheral B cell pools.
We demonstrate that adoptive transfer of peritoneal cavity B cells fails to replenish the peripheral B-1 cells in adult B cell-deficient (mu(-/-)) mice but does replenish adult RAG-1(-/-) mice. We show that this lack of self-replenishment in mu(-/-) mice is mediated by strongly inhibitory, radiation-sensitive CD4(+) T cells that also function in cotransfer studies to block the reconstitution of B-1 cells and inhibit accumulation of bone marrow-derived B-2 cells in the periphery in irradiated recipients. CD8(+) T cells from mu(-/-) do not mediate this inhibition. The inhibitory CD4(+) T cells develop early in life, because B-1 cell replenishment occurs normally when B-1 cells are transferred into mu(-/-) neonates. Thus, we conclude that the presence of B cells in the neonate conditions the CD4(+) T-cell population to permit the establishment and maintenance of normal B cell pools throughout life.
Baumgarth
N
N
Department of Genetics, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Baumgarth@Stanford.edu
Jager
G C
GC
Herman
O C
OC
Herzenberg
L A
LA
D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D017710:Lymphocyte Transfusion; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains