title: Viral particles drive rapid differentiation of memory B cells into secondary plasma cells producing increased levels of antibodies.
abstract: Extensive studies have been undertaken to describe naive B cells differentiating into memory B cells at a cellular and molecular level. However, relatively little is known about the fate of memory B cells upon Ag re-encounter. We have previously established a system based on virus-like particles (VLPs), which allows tracking of VLP-specific B cells by flow cytometry as well as histology. Using allotype markers, it is possible to adoptively transfer memory B cells into a naive mouse and track responses of naive and memory B cells in the same mouse under physiological conditions. We have observed that VLP-specific memory B cells quickly differentiated into plasma cells that drove the early onset of a strong humoral IgG response. However, neither IgM(+) nor IgG(+) memory B cells proliferated extensively or entered germinal centers. Remarkably, plasma cells derived from memory B cells preferentially homed to the bone marrow earlier and secreted increased levels of Abs when compared with primary plasma cells derived from naive B cells. Hence, memory B cells have the unique phenotype to differentiate into highly effective secondary plasma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Zurich University Hospital, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland; Franziska.zabel@usz.ch.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zabel
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Zurich University Hospital, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland;
authors.forename: Deepa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mohanan
authors.affiliation: Cytos Biotechnology AG, CH-8952 Zurich-Schlieren, Switzerland; and.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bessa
authors.affiliation: Cytos Biotechnology AG, CH-8952 Zurich-Schlieren, Switzerland; and.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Link
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Zurich University Hospital, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland;
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fettelschoss
authors.affiliation: Cytos Biotechnology AG, CH-8952 Zurich-Schlieren, Switzerland; and.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saudan
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Zurich University Hospital, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland;
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Kündig
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Zurich University Hospital, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland; Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Martin F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bachmann
mesh_terms: D017908:Allolevivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D051379:Mice; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral