B Cell Positive Selection by Soluble Self-Antigen

The quasimonoclonal (QM) mouse provides an intelligible model to analyze the B cell selection as the competition between two major 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetyl-specific B cell populations whose BCR are comprised of the knockin VH17.2.25 (VHT)-encoded H chain and the λ1 or λ2 L chain. In this study, we show the QM system is useful to examine how BCR signals guide a subset of B cells to the marginal zone (MZ). Compared with the control C57BL/6 mice, the QM mice had ∼2.7-fold increased number of B cells exhibiting the MZ B cell phenotype and a larger MZ area in the spleen. Interestingly, VHT/λ2 B cells significantly predominated over VHT/λ1 B cells in MZ-(VHT/λ1:VHT/λ2 ≈ 3:7) and transitional 2-B cell subsets, while these two populations were comparable in immature, transitional 1, and mature counterparts. Thus, the biased use of λ2 in the MZ B cells may be the result of selection in the periphery. The enlargement of MZ B cell compartment and the preferred recruitment of the VHT/λ2 B cells were further augmented by doubling the VHT gene, but dampened by the dysfunction of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, suggesting a positive role of BCR signaling in this selection. Comparison of Ag specificity between VHT/λ1 and VHT/λ2 IgM mAbs revealed a polyreactive nature of the VHT/λ2 BCR, including the reactivity with ssDNA. Taken together, it is suggested that polyreactivity (including self-reactivity) of BCR is crucial in driving B cells to differentiate into the MZ phenotype.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Analysis of Marginal Zone B Cell Development in the Mouse with Limited B Cell Diversity: Role of the Antigen Receptor Signals in the Recruitment of B Cells to the Marginal Zone

Kanayama

Cascalho

Ohmori

2005

“…It is well-documented that self-reactive BCRs with affinities for cellular molecules such as phosphocholine and phosphatidyl choline preferentially differentiate into mature MZ and B1 B cells, and transgenic expression of these self-reactive BCRs mainly supports generation of these populations. These data strongly argue that generation of MZ and B1 cells requires positive selection mediated by BCR-Ag interactions (62,65,77,90). Accordingly, MZ and B1 cells are present in a semiactivated state in which they are constitutively secreting Ab.…”

Section: Only Fo B Cells Are Found In the Pool Of Mature B Cells Exprmentioning

confidence: 85%

Analysis of the Individual Contributions of Igα (CD79a)- and Igβ (CD79b)-Mediated Tonic Signaling for Bone Marrow B Cell Development and Peripheral B Cell Maturation

Fuentes‐Pananá

Bannish

Karnell

et al. 2006

The individual contribution of Igα and Igβ for BCR-triggered fates is unclear. Prior evidence supports conflicting ideas concerning unique as well as redundant functions for these proteins in the context of BCR/pre-BCR signaling. Part of this ambiguity may reflect the recent appreciation that Igα and Igβ participate in both Ag-independent (tonic) and Ag-dependent signaling. The present study undertook defining the individual requirement for Igα and Igβ under conditions where only ligand-independent tonic signaling was operative. In this regard, we have constructed chimeric proteins containing one or two copies of the cytoplasmic domains of either Igα or Igβ and Igα/Igβ heterodimers with targeted Tyr→Phe modifications. The ability of these proteins to act as surrogate receptors and trigger early bone marrow and peripheral B cell maturation was tested in RAG2−/− primary pro-B cell lines and in gene transfer experiments in the μMT mouse model. We considered that the threshold for a functional activity mediated by the pre-BCR/BCR might only be reached when two functional copies of the Igα/Igβ ITAM domain are expressed together, and therefore the specificity conferred by these proteins can only be observed in these conditions. We found that the ligand-independent tonic signal is sufficient to drive development into mature follicular B cells and both Igα and Igβ chains supported formation of this population. In contrast, neither marginal zone nor B1 mature B cell subsets develop from bone marrow precursors under conditions where only tonic signals are generated.

“…It has been shown that production of B1-derived anti-Thy-1 autoantibody is dependent on the presence of Thy-1 self-Ag (46). More recently, Julien et al (73) have reported that mouse B cells expressing a tg human polyreactive Ab specific for ssDNA and human Ig are enriched in the spleen in the presence of human IgFc. The ppc1-5H/ 1 NAA has a broad reactivity to multiple self-constituents and it is therefore difficult to prove Ag-dependent selection by removing the selfAgs.…”

Section: Positive Selection Of Ppc1-5/ 1 Naa B Cellsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…In humans, up to 20% of peripheral blood B cells and 30% of splenic B cells are polyreactive, and many of these are not B1 cells (72). There are reports indicating that NAA can be produced by MZ or B2 cells in mice (24,73). Bone marrow reconstitution studies have shown that B1 cells are not essential for NAA regeneration (74).…”

Section: The Cellular Origin Of Naamentioning

confidence: 99%

B Cells Expressing a Natural Polyreactive Autoantibody Have a Distinct Phenotype and Are Overrepresented in Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Transgenic Mice

Tian¹,

Beardall²,

Xu³

et al. 2006

Despite stringent regulation of disease-associated autoantibodies, a substantial proportion of circulating Abs in sera of healthy individuals exhibit self-reactivity. These Abs are referred to as naturally occurring or natural autoantibodies (NAAs). To understand the origin and function of NAAs, we have generated a new site-directed transgenic mouse model in which a prerearranged VDJ gene coding for the H chain of a typical polyreactive NAA, ppc1-5, is inserted into the IgH locus. This H chain, when combined with its original L chain, the λ1 L chain, yields a NAA that characteristically binds a variety of self and non-self Ags including ssDNA, actin, ubiquitin, and nitrophenyl phosphocholine. Despite their autoreactivity, B cells expressing ppc1-5H/λ1 NAA are not negatively selected, but rather are overrepresented in the transgenic mice. The shift toward λ1 expression mainly occurs during the transition of immature to mature B cells in the spleen, suggesting a BCR selection process. The ppc1-5H/λ1 B cells exhibit a phenotype that is different from those of the known mature B cell populations, and they are located predominantly in the lymphoid follicles of the spleen and the lymph nodes. These B cells are functionally active, producing high levels of Abs in vivo and responding well to BCR stimulation in vitro. The findings indicate that the ppc1-5/λ1 natural autoantibodies originate from a distinct B cell subset that may be positively selected by virtue of its poly/autoreactivity.