title: TLR9 stimulation drives naïve B cells to proliferate and to attain enhanced antigen presenting function.
abstract: Mechanisms that regulate naïve B cell proliferation and function are incompletely defined. In this study, we test the hypothesis that naïve B cell expansion, survival and ability to present antigen to T lymphocytes can be directly modulated by Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists. In the absence of B cell receptor stimulation, CpG oligonucleotide, a TLR9 agonist, was particularly efficient in inducing naïve B cell proliferation and survival. Although the expanded naïve B cells did not mature into CD27+ or IgG+ memory B cells, these cells did differentiate into IgM-secreting cells with increased surface expression of HLA-DR, CD40 and CD80. This was associated with an increased potential for these B cells to activate allogeneic T cells. We propose that the activation and expansion of naïve B cells induced by TLR9 agonists could enhance the potential of these cells to interact with cognate antigens and facilitate cell-mediated immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Research, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals/Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106-4984, USA.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lederman
authors.forename: Clifford V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.forename: Benigno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mohner
authors.forename: Scott F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Sieg
mesh_terms: D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C513533:CpG ODN 2006; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9