title: A CD25⁻ positive population of activated B1 cells expresses LIFR and responds to LIF.
abstract: B1 B cells defend against infectious microorganisms by spontaneous secretion of broadly reactive "natural" immunoglobulin that appears in the absence of immunization. Among many distinguishing characteristics, B1 B cells display evidence of activation that includes phosphorylated STAT3. In order to identify the origin of pSTAT3 we examined interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) expression on B1 cells. We found that some (about 1/5) B1a cells express the IL-2R α chain, CD25. Although lacking CD122 and unresponsive to IL-2, B1a cells marked by CD25 express increased levels of activated signaling intermediates, interruption of which results in diminished CD25. Further, CD25⁺ B1a cells contain most of the pSTAT3 found in the B1a population as a whole. Moreover, CD25⁺ B1a cells express leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR), and respond to LIF by upregulating pSTAT3. Together, these results define a new subset of B1a cells that is marked by activation-dependent CD25 expression, expresses substantial amounts of activated STAT3, and contains a functional LIFR.
authors.affiliation: Immunobiology Laboratory, Center for Oncology and Cell Biology, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research Manhasset, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Tumang
authors.forename: Nichol E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Holodick
authors.forename: Teresa C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Vizconde
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaku
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Francés
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Rothstein