title: Long-lived plasma cells from human small intestine biopsies secrete immunoglobulins for many weeks in vitro.
abstract: To understand the biology of Ab-secreting cells in the human small intestine, we examined Ab production of intestinal biopsies kept in culture. We found sustained IgA and IgM secretion as well as viable IgA- or IgM-secreting cells after >4 wk of culture. The Ab-secreting cells were nonproliferating and expressing CD27 and CD138, thus having a typical plasma cell phenotype. Culturing of biopsies without tissue disruption gave the highest Ab production and plasma cell survival suggesting that the environment regulates plasma cell longevity. Cytokine profiling of the biopsy cultures demonstrated a sustained presence of IL-6 and APRIL. Blocking of the activity of endogenous APRIL and IL-6 with BCMA-Fc and anti-human IL-6 Ab demonstrated that both these factors were essential for plasma cell survival and Ab secretion in the biopsy cultures. This study demonstrates that the human small intestine harbors a population of nonproliferating plasma cells that are instructed by the microenvironment for prolonged survival and Ab secretion.
authors.affiliation: Center for Immune Regulation, University of Oslo, Q3 N-0027 Oslo, Norway. luka.mesin@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Luka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mesin
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Niro
authors.forename: Keith M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Knut E A
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Lundin
authors.forename: Ludvig M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sollid
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002469:Cell Separation; D002470:Cell Survival; D004386:Duodenum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13