Rapid response of marginal zone B cells to viral particles.

Journal article

Marginal zone (MZ) B cells are thought to be responsible for the first wave of Abs against bacterial Ags. In this study, we assessed the in vivo response of MZ B cells in mice immunized with viral particles derived from the RNA phage Qbeta. We found that both follicular (FO) and MZ B cells responded to immunization with viral particles. MZ B cells responded with slightly faster kinetics, but numerically, FO B cells dominated the response. B1 B cells responded similarly to MZ B cells. Both MZ and FO B cells underwent isotype switching, with MZ B cells again exhibiting faster kinetics. In fact, almost all Qbeta-specific MZ B cells expressed surface IgG by day 5. Histological analysis demonstrated that a population of activated B cells remain associated with the MZ, probably due to the elevated integrin levels expressed by these cells. Thus, both MZ and FO B cells respond with rapid proliferation to viral infection and both populations undergo isotype switching, but MZ B cells remain in the MZ and may be responsible for local Ab production, opsonizing pathogens entering the spleen.

Authors: Gatto, D; Ruedl, C; Odermatt, B; Bachmann, M

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Journal of Immunology
• Volume: 173
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 4308-4316
• Publication date: 2004-10-01
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.173.7.4308
• EISSN: 1550-6606
• ISSN: 0022-1767
• Language: English
• Keywords: Antigens, CD9; Up-Regulation; Animals; Female; Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; Biological Markers; Germinal Center; Receptors, Virus; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Time Factors; Spleen; Immunoglobulin Class Switching; Allolevivirus; Immunoglobulin G; Membrane Glycoproteins; Antigens, CD; Immunoglobulin M; Flow Cytometry; Lymphocyte Cooperation; Mice, Knockout; Integrin alpha4beta1; B-Lymphocyte Subsets; Mice; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; Virion