title: Rapidly induced, T-cell independent xenoantibody production is mediated by marginal zone B cells and requires help from NK cells.
abstract: Xenoantibody production directed at a wide variety of T lymphocyte-dependent and T lymphocyte-independent xenoantigens remains the major immunologic obstacle for successful xenotransplantation. The B lymphocyte subpopulations and their helper factors, involved in T-cell-independent xenoantibody production are only partially understood, and their identification will contribute to the clinical applicability of xenotransplantation. Here we show, using models involving T-cell-deficient athymic recipient mice, that rapidly induced, T-cell-independent xenoantibody production is mediated by marginal zone B lymphocytes and requires help from natural killer (NK) cells. This collaboration neither required NK-cell-mediated IFN-gamma production, nor NK-cell-mediated cytolytic killing of xenogeneic target cells. The T-cell-independent IgM xenoantibody response could be partially suppressed by CD40L blockade.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Transplantation, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Shengqiao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yehong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Dominique M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bullens
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rutgeerts
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goebels
authors.forename: Constant
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Segers
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasran
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dewolf-Peeters
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waer
authors.forename: An D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Billiau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000910:Antibodies, Heterophile / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000235:genetics; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008819:Mice, Nude; D018448:Models, Immunological; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000910:Antibodies, Heterophile; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D023201:CD40 Ligand