title: Asymmetric segregation of polarized antigen on B cell division shapes presentation capacity.
abstract: During the activation of humoral immune responses, B cells acquire antigen for subsequent presentation to cognate T cells. Here we show that after mouse B cells accumulate antigen, it is maintained in a polarized distribution for extended periods in vivo. Using high-throughput imaging flow cytometry, we observed that this polarization is preserved during B cell division, promoting asymmetric antigen segregation among progeny. Antigen inheritance correlates with the ability of progeny to activate T cells: Daughter cells receiving larger antigen stores exhibit a prolonged capacity to present antigen, which renders them more effective in competing for T cell help. The generation of progeny with differential capacities for antigen presentation may have implications for somatic hypermutation and class switching during affinity maturation and as B cells commit to effector cell fates.
authors.affiliation: Lymphocyte Interaction Laboratory, London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, UK.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Thaunat
authors.forename: Aitor G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Granja
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barral
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filby
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Montaner
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Collinson
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martinez-Martin
authors.forename: Naomi E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Harwood
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bruckbauer
authors.forename: Facundo D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Batista
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009113:Muramidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; C421864:hen egg lysozyme; D009113:Muramidase