No abstract

The early steps of differentiation of human B cells into plasma cells are poorly known. We report a transitional population of CD20low/−CD38− preplasmablasts along differentiation of human memory B cells into plasma cells in vitro. Preplasmablasts lack documented B cell or plasma cell (CD20, CD38, and CD138) markers, express CD30 and IL-6R, and secrete Igs at a weaker level than do plasmablasts or plasma cells. These preplasmablasts further differentiate into CD20−CD38highCD138− plasmablasts and then CD20−CD38highCD138+ plasma cells. Preplasmablasts were fully characterized in terms of whole genome transcriptome profiling and phenotype. Preplasmablasts coexpress B and plasma cell transcription factors, but at a reduced level compared with B cells, plasmablasts, or plasma cells. They express the unspliced form of XBP1 mRNA mainly, whereas plasmablasts and plasma cells express essentially the spliced form. An in vivo counterpart (CD19+CD20low/−CD38−IL-6R+ cells) of in vitro-generated preplasmablasts could be detected in human lymph nodes (0.06% of CD19+ cells) and tonsils (0.05% of CD19+ cells). An open access “B to Plasma Cell Atlas,” which makes it possible to interrogate gene expression in the process of B cell to plasma cell differentiation, is provided. Taken together, our findings show the existence of a transitional preplasmablast population using an in vitro model of plasma cell generation and of its in vivo counterpart in various lymphoid tissues.

The recent understanding of plasma cell (PC) biology has been obtained from murine models mainly. The current concept is that plasmablasts home to the BM and further differentiate into long-lived PCs (LLPCs). These LLPCs survive for months in contact with a complex niche comprising stromal cells (SCs) and hematopoietic cells both producing recruitment and survival factors. Using a multi-step culture system, we show here the possibility to differentiate human memory B cells into LLPCs surviving for at least 4 months in vitro and producing immunoglobulins continuously. A remarkable feature is that IL-6 is mandatory to generate LLPCs in vitro together with either APRIL or soluble factors produced by SCs, unrelated to APRIL/BAFF, SDF-1, or IGF-1. These LLPCs are out of the cell cycle, express highly PC transcription factors and surface markers. This model shows a remarkable robustness of human LLPCs, which can survive and produce highly immunoglobulins for months in vitro without contact with niche cells, providing the presence of a minimal cocktail of growth factors and nutrients. This model should be useful to understand further normal PC biology and its deregulation in premalignant or malignant PC disorders.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized APCs with an important role in the initiation and regulation of immune responses. Immature DCs (iDCs) reportedly mediate tolerance in the absence of maturation/inflammatory stimuli, presumably by the induction of regulatory T cells. In this study, we show for the first time that repetitive iDC injections trigger the expansion of a novel regulatory population with high immunomodulatory properties, able to protect mice from collagen-induced arthritis. These regulatory T cells are characterized by the expression of the CD49b molecule and correspond to a CD4+ α-galactosylceramide/CD1d-nonrestricted T cell population producing IL-10. Adoptive transfer of <105 TCRβ+CD49b+ cells isolated from the liver of iDCs-vaccinated mice, conferred a complete protection against arthritis. This protection was associated with an attenuation of the B and T cell response associated with a local secretion of IL-10. Thus, together these data demonstrate that iDCs can expand and activate a novel regulatory population of CD49b+ T cells, with high immunosuppressive potential able to mediate protection against a systemic autoimmune disease.