A fail-safe mechanism for negative selection of isotype-switched B cell precursors is regulated by the Fas/FasL pathway.
In B lymphocytes, immunoglobulin (Ig)M receptors drive development and construction of naive repertoire, whereas IgG receptors promote formation of the memory B cell compartment. This isotype switching process requires appropriate B cell activation and T cell help. In the absence of T cell help, activated B cells undergo Fas-mediated apoptosis, a peripheral mechanism contributing to the establishment of self-tolerance. Using Igmicro-deficient microMT mouse model, where B cell development is blocked at pro-B stage, here we show an alternative developmental pathway used by isotype-switched B cell precursors. We find that isotype switching occurs normally in B cell precursors and is T independent. Ongoing isotype switching was found in both normal and microMT B cell development as reflected by detection of IgG1 germline and postswitch transcripts as well as activation-induced cytidine deaminase expression, resulting in the generation of IgG-expressing cells. These isotype-switched B cells are negatively selected by Fas pathway, as blocking the Fas/FasL interaction rescues the development of isotype-switched B cells in vivo and in vitro. Similar to memory B cells, isotype-switched B cells have a marginal zone phenotype. We suggest a novel developmental pathway used by isotype-switched B cell precursors that effectively circumvents peripheral tolerance requirements. This developmental pathway, however, is strictly controlled by Fas/FasL interaction to prevent B cell autoimmunity.
Seagal
Jane
J
Department of Immunology, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel. melamedd@techunix.technion.ac.il
Edry
Efrat
E
Keren
Zohar
Z
Leider
Nira
N
Benny
Ofra
O
Machluf
Marcelle
M
Melamed
Doron
D
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D017637:Clonal Deletion / Q000276:immunology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505658:Fasl protein, mouse; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019014:fas Receptor