Recreation of an antigen-driven germinal center in vitro by providing B cells with phagocytic antigen

Journal article

Successful vaccines rely on activating a functional humoral immune response through the generation of class-switched high affinity immunoglobulins (Igs). The germinal center (GC) reaction is crucial for this process, in which B cells are selected in their search for antigen and T cell help. A major hurdle to understand the mechanisms of B cell:T cell cooperation has been the lack of an antigen-specific in vitro GC system. Here we report the generation of antigen-specific, high-affinity, class-switched Igs in simple 2-cell type cultures of naive B and T cells. B cell antigen uptake by phagocytosis is key to generate these Igs. We have used the method to interrogate if T cells confer directional help to cognate B cells that present antigen and to bystander B cells. We find that bystander B cells do not generate class-switched antibodies due to a defective formation of T-B conjugates and an early conversion into memory B cells.

Authors: Martínez-Riaño, A; Delgado, P; Tercero, R; Barrero, S; Mendoza, P

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Journal: Communications Biology
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 437-437
• Article number: 437
• Publication date: 2023-04-20
• DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04807-0
• EISSN: 2399-3642
• ISSN: 2399-3642
• Language: English
• Keywords: Biology; Cell biology; Antigen; Bystander effect; Naive B cell; T cell; Memory B cell; In vitro; CD40; Molecular biology; Immune system; B-1 cell; Immunology; Antibody; Germinal center; Biochemistry; Cytotoxic T cell; Antigen-presenting cell; B cell