title: A novel method for assaying human regulatory T cell direct suppression of B cell effector function.
abstract: We have established a highly reproducible and reliable protocol for testing human regulatory T cell function in suppressing IgM production from an immature human B cell line. The autoreactive Ramos B cell line provides a stable reporter of B cell effector function that can be tested by a straight-forward IgM ELISA. Tregs from healthy volunteers display a range of ability for suppressing baseline IgM production in a contact- and death-independent manner. Having established the normal range for human Treg direct suppression of B cell effector function, it will now be possible to efficiently test Tregs from various autoimmune conditions in which B cell hyperactivity and secretion of auto-antibodies are a hallmark of disease.
authors.affiliation: Baltimore VA Medical Center, 10 N Greene St, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States; Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, 10 S. Pine Street/MSTF Room 8-34, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States. Electronic address: eweingartner@umaryland.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weingartner
authors.affiliation: Baltimore VA Medical Center, 10 N Greene St, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States; Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, 10 S. Pine Street/MSTF Room 8-34, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States. Electronic address: jpcourneya@hshsl.umaryland.edu.
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Courneya
authors.affiliation: Baltimore VA Medical Center, 10 N Greene St, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States; Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, 10 S. Pine Street/MSTF Room 8-34, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States. Electronic address: akeegan@som.umaryland.edu.
authors.forename: Achsah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keegan
authors.affiliation: Baltimore VA Medical Center, 10 N Greene St, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States; Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, 10 S. Pine Street/MSTF Room 8-34, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States. Electronic address: agolding@medicine.umaryland.edu.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golding
mesh_terms: D015551:Autoimmunity; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: Antibody; Autoimmunity; B cell; Human; Suppression assay; Treg