title: Resident B cells regulate thymic expression of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein.
abstract: Thymic B cells represent a numerically minor cell population located primarily at the cortico-medullary junction. Their biological role is unclear. B cell-deficient μMT mice exhibited reduced medullary thymic epithelial cell (mTEC) numbers and reduced MOG and insulin mRNA expression. Lymphotoxin produced by B cells was critical for normal tissue restricted antigen (TRA) expression, suggesting that B cells regulate self-antigens through their production of LT. These results reveal an unexpected role of B cells in mTEC maintenance and expression of TRAs through their production of LT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Eitan M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Akirav
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Nancy H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Ruddle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018183:Transplantation Chimera
chemical_list: C571327:Mog protein, mouse; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D012333:RNA, Messenger