In vivo expression of interleukin-8, and regulated on activation, normal, T-cell expressed, and secreted, by human germinal centre B lymphocytes.
T-cell homing within germinal centres (GCs) is required for humoral B-cell responses. However, the mechanisms implicated in the recruitment of T cells into the GC are not completely understood. Here we show, by immunohistology, and Northern and Western blots, that in vivo human GC B lymphocytes can express CxC and CC chemokines. Moreover, B-cell subset-specific experiments reveal that interleukin (IL)-8 and regulated on activation, normal, T-cell expressed, and secreted (RANTES) are predominantly expressed by GC centroblast and centrocytes, suggesting that chemokine expression is essential at stages in which B-lymphocytes engage in active antigen-dependent interactions with T lymphocytes. In keeping with this hypothesis, we show that the T cells recruited into the GC correlatively express the receptors for IL-8 and RANTES. We propose that chemokine expression is a key B-cell function that facilitates T-lymphocyte recruitment into the GCs and supports cognate B-cell : T-cell encounters. Moreover, our data are consistent with the impaired homing of T cells to secondary lymphoid organs in mice that are either deficient in CC and CxC chemokines or their receptors.
Sims-Mourtada
Jennifer C
JC
Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA.
Guzman-Rojas
Liliana
L
Rangel
Roberto
R
Nghiem
Dat X
DX
Ullrich
Stephen E
SE
Guret
Christiane
C
Cain
Kelly
K
Martinez-Valdez
Hector
H
D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000378:metabolism; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation / Q000276:immunology; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000378:metabolism; D023062:Receptors, Interleukin-8A / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D018941:Antigens, CD19; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D016209:Interleukin-8; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D023062:Receptors, Interleukin-8A