Visualizing B cell capture of cognate antigen from follicular dendritic cells.
The prominent display of opsonized antigen by follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) has long favored the view that they serve as antigen-presenting cells for B cells. Surprisingly, however, although B cell capture of antigen from macrophages and dendritic cells has been visualized, acquisition from FDCs has not been directly observed. Using two-photon microscopy, we visualized B cell capture of cognate antigen from FDCs. B cell CXCR5 expression was required, and encounter with FDC-associated antigen could be detected for >1 wk after immunization. B cell-FDC contact times were often brief but occasionally persisted for >30 min, and B cells sometimes acquired antigen together with FDC surface proteins. These observations establish that FDCs can serve as sites of B cell antigen capture, with their prolonged display time ensuring that even rare B cells have the chance of antigen encounter, and they suggest possible information transfer from antigen-presenting cell to B cell.
Suzuki
Kazuhiro
K
Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Grigorova
Irina
I
Phan
Tri Giang
TG
Kelly
Lisa M
LM
Cyster
Jason G
JG
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D002645:Chickens; D020566:Dendritic Cells, Follicular / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D009113:Muramidase / Q000276:immunology; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5 / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5; C421864:hen egg lysozyme; D009113:Muramidase