Cooperative IFN-gamma production of mouse liver B cells and natural killer cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide.
OBJECTIVE
Although mouse liver contains a large population of B cells, little is known about how hepatic B cells respond to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS).


METHODS
The cytokine and IgM productions of hepatic B cells were compared with those of splenic B cells. The effect of LPS-treated hepatic B cells on IFN-gamma production from co-cultured NK1.1+ cells was also examined by irradiation and transwell experiments.


RESULTS
Hepatic B cells stimulated with LPS produced substantial amounts of IFN-gamma and IL-12 but a small amount of IgM, while splenic B cells did not produce any of these cytokines but produced a large amount of IgM. The hepatic B cells expressed surface markers similar to those on spleen B cells but expressed more C-X-C chemokine receptor 3 than spleen B cells. Notably, depletion of B220+ cells from liver MNCs (but not from spleen MNCs) greatly decreased LPS-induced IFN-gamma production. Furthermore, LPS-treated hepatic B cells stimulated liver NK1.1+ cells to produce a remarkable amount of IFN-gamma, not only through their soluble factors but also through direct cell-cell contact.


CONCLUSIONS
Liver B cells may play an important role in the defense against gram-negative bacterial infections by inducing IFN-gamma production from liver NK cells.
Matsumoto
Atsushi
A
Department of Microbiology, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Japan.
Kinoshita
Manabu
M
Ono
Satoshi
S
Tsujimoto
Hironori
H
Majima
Takashi
T
Habu
Yoshiko
Y
Shinomiya
Nariyoshi
N
Seki
Shuhji
S
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015398:Signal Transduction
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D007371:Interferon-gamma