B cells can prime naive CD4⁺ T cells in vivo in the absence of other professional antigen-presenting cells in a CD154-CD40-dependent manner

Abstract:

The role of B cells as APC is well established. However, their ability to prime naive T cells in vivo has been difficult to examine because of the presence of dendritic cells. The current studies were undertaken to examine this issue in a model of adoptive transfer of antigen-specific B cells and T cell into histoincompatible Rag2-/- mice. By means of this system, we were able to demonstrate that antigen-specific B cells are competent APC for naive CD4+ T cells specific for the same antigen. In vivo antigen presentation resulted in expansion of both CD4+ T cells and B cells. The antigen-presenting function of the transferred B cells was dependent on the CD154-CD40 interaction, as transfer of CD154-deficient antigen-specific CD4+ T cells or CD40-deficient B cells failed to induce T and B cell expansion in response to immunization. These results indicate that antigen-specific B cells have the capacity to induce primary T cell responses in the absence of other competent APC. © 2005 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Año de publicación:

2005

Keywords:

• B cells
• CD4 T cells +
• Antigen-presenting cells
• CD154
• CD40

Fuente:

scopus