Regulatory B cells inhibit EAE initiation in mice while other B cells promote disease progression.
EAE is a mouse T cell-mediated autoimmune disease of the CNS used to model the human condition MS. The contributions of B cells to EAE initiation and progression are unclear. In this study, we have shown that EAE disease initiation and progression are differentially influenced by the depletion of B cells from mice with otherwise intact immune systems. CD20 antibody-mediated B cell depletion before EAE induction substantially exacerbated disease symptoms and increased encephalitogenic T cell influx into the CNS. Increased symptom severity resulted from the depletion of a rare IL-10-producing CD1dhiCD5+ regulatory B cell subset (B10 cells), since the adoptive transfer of splenic B10 cells before EAE induction normalized EAE in B cell-depleted mice. While transfer of regulatory B10 cells was maximally effective during early EAE initiation, they had no obvious role during disease progression. Rather, B cell depletion during EAE disease progression dramatically suppressed symptoms. Specifically, B cells were required for the generation of CD4+ T cells specific for CNS autoantigen and the entry of encephalitogenic T cells into the CNS during disease progression. These results demonstrate reciprocal regulatory roles for B cells during EAE immunopathogenesis. The therapeutic effect of B cell depletion for the treatment of autoimmunity may therefore depend on the relative contributions and the timing of these opposing B cell activities during the course of disease initiation and pathogenesis.
Matsushita
Takashi
T
Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Yanaba
Koichi
K
Bouaziz
Jean-David
JD
Fujimoto
Manabu
M
Tedder
Thomas F
TF
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D016753:Interleukin-10