Expression of Lyb-5 and Mls determinants by Peyer's patch B lymphocytes of X-linked immunodeficient mice

Treatment of the Peyer's patch (PP) B cells from X-linked immunodeficient (xid) (CBA/N X DBA/2)F1 male mice with anti-Lyb-5 plus complement kills approximately 75% of these cells, although xid spleen B cells are unaffected. Cytotoxic depletion of Lyb-5+ cells renders the xid PP B cell population unable to generate an in vitro direct plaque-forming cell response to the TI-2 antigen TNP-Ficoll. In addition, the B cell-enriched population from the PP of xid (CBA/N X CBA/J)F1 male mice were strong stimulators of proliferation in an M1s-defined MLR, thereby demonstrating that they also express the M1s antigen(s). Two cell surface antigens associated with mature B cells are therefore expressed by xid PP B cells, suggesting that the TNP-Ficoll responsive cells in this population are mature B cell.     

The origin of antibody-forming cells detected in the bone marrow after thymus-independent antigen-stimulation and abnormality in migration of B cells of X-linked immunodeficient CBA/N mice

The anti-TNP IgM plaque-forming cells (PFC) were generated in the spleen and bone marrow of non-immunodeficient normal mice after intraperitoneal administration of TNP-LPS. Irradiation of normal mice while shielding bone marrow completely abrogated the generation of bone marrow PFC, indicating that they are derived from extramedullary sites. The bone marrow PFC, response to TNP-LPS was low in X-linked immunodeficient CBA/N strain mice, while the spleen response was comparable to that seen in the normal mice. To further study the basis of the deficient bone marrow PFC response in CBA/N mice, spleen cells were adoptively transferred to irradiated syngeneic mice stimulated with TNP-LPS. While spleen cells from normal mice generated high numbers of PFC in recipient bone marrow and spleen, those from CBA/N strain mice could not generate bone marrow PFC. This result was obtained regardless of whether normal or CBA/N recipients were used. These results indicate that TNP-LPS administration normally results in the migration of B lymphocytes from the periphery into the bone marrow and that B cells from immunodeficient CBA/N strain mice bear an inherent defect in this migratory function. This migratory defect was shown to be X-linked, as are the other previously reported B cell defects in this inbred mouse strain. The possible relationship between this migratory defect and the maturational defects of B cell lineage as reported previously in CBA/N strain mice is discussed.     

Demonstration of phosphorylcholine-specific IgE B cells in CBA/N mice.

CBA/N mice, which did not make anti-PC IgM or IgG antibody against PC-conjugated T-dependent or T-independent antigens, produced IgE antibody to PC-determinant when they were immunized with PC-KLH. PC-specificity of IgE antibody produced in CBA/N mice was determined by inhibition of PCA reaction with free PC-hapten or C-polysaccharide or by absorption of reaginic activity in the serum with C-polysaccharide. The presence of T15 idiotype on anti-PC IgE antibody produced in CBA/N x BALB/c F1 males also showed that anti-PC IgE antibody in defective mice was PC-specific. The results suggest that PC-specific B epsilon cells may belong to a subpopulation distinct from PC-specific precursors for IgM and IgG responses.     

Colony-forming B cells in F1 hybrid and transplanted CBA/N mice.

The conditions for evaluation of suppressor cell regulation of the pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-induced plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses of peripheral blood (PB) B cells in normal individuals using allogeneic cocultures is described. In 14 separate experiments, after preincubation with concanavalin A (Con A) for 2 days, PB cells suppressed the PWM-induced anti-sheep erythrocyte (SRBC) PFC response of fresh allogeneic PB cells to 17% of the expected PFC response (P < 0.05). In addition, control cells incubated for 2 days in the absence of Con A suppressed the PWM- induced PFC response of allogeneic cells in 6 of 14 experiments to the same extent as did the Con A-generated cells (P < 0.01). It was found that unstimulated control cells (without Con A activation) from normal subjects who themselves were nonresponders to PWM stimulation (< 50 PFC/10⁶ cells) usually suppressed the PFC response of allogeneic cells (P < 0.05), while control cells from normal subjects who consistently had a good PFC response to PWM stimulation (> 75 PFC/10⁶ cells) did not suppress the PFC response of allogeneic cells. The spontaneously occurring suppressor cell in nonresponder PB cell suspensions was sensitive to 3000-R irradiation, and the nonresponder state was not associated with a decreased blastogenic response to PWM. Thus, some normal subjects who themselves had a poor PWM-induced PFC response had irradiation-sensitive, spontaneously occurring suppressor cells which were capable of suppressing the PWM-induced PFC response of normal responders. The majority of normal subjects (90%) were good PFC responders to PWM stimulation and did not spontaneously suppress the PFC response of allogeneic cells to PWM, but did have PB cells which were capable of being activated by Con A to suppress.     

Response of Peyer's patch lymphocyte subsets to Giardia muris infection in BALB/c mice. II. B-cell subsets: enteric antigen exposure is associated with immunoglobulin isotype switching by Peyer's patch B cells

The aim of this study was to quantify the response of Peyer's patch B cells, surface IgA-bearing (sIgA) B cells, and surface IgM-bearing (sIgM) B cells to Giardia muris infection. Following infection of a cohort of immunocompetent BALB/c mice with G. muris cysts, Peyer's patch cell suspensions were prepared at serial time points during the infection, incubated with fluorescein-conjugated monoclonal antibodies directed against murine leukocytes, B cells, sIgA B cells, sIgM B cells, or T cells, and analyzed by flow cytometry. Of total Peyer's patch leukocytes, the percentages of B cells, sIgA B cells, and sIgM B cells in uninfected BALB/c mice were 64.7 +/- 2.0% (mean +/- SEM), 30.3 +/- 1.5%, and 52.5 +/- 2.4%, respectively. The total number of Peyer's patch leukocytes increased significantly (1.8 X) during G. muris infection, and returned to control levels as the infection was cleared. The percentages of Peyer's patch T and total B cells did not change significantly during Giardia infection. However, sequential changes were observed in the percentages and numbers of sIgM and sIgA B cells during the infection. Peyer's patch sIgM B cells rapidly increased in percentage and number, reaching maximum levels 1 week after cyst inoculation. After remaining constant the first week, the number of Peyer's patch sIgA B cells increased during the second week of G. muris infection, reaching a maximum level 11-14 days after cyst inoculation. The data support the hypothesis that immunoglobulin isotype switching in Peyer's patches is induced by antigen exposure.     

CBA/N X-linked defect delays expression of the Y-linked accelerated autoimmune disease in BXSB mice

BXSB male mice spontaneously develop progressive autoimmune disease characterized by high serum immunoglobulins, including anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), enlarged spleen and lymph nodes, and diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis. Females develop symptoms at a much slower rate. The mechanisms underlying the autoimmune disease and the nature of the Y-linked accelerating factor have not yet been elucidated. We found that the male progeny of the cross between the non-autoimmune strain CBA/Ca and BXSB (CBA/Ca X BXSB)F1 showed progressing signs of autoimmunity starting at 6 to 7 mo. In contrast, the male progeny that resulted from BXSB males crossed with immune-defective CBA/N females (Xid) were devoid of splenic B colonies, were nonresponsive to TNP-Ficoll, and were free of autoimmune disease for at least 10 mo. At 18 mo, some of the (CBA/N X BXSB)F1 mice developed weak antinuclear antibodies, but no spleen or lymph node enlargement was seen. The same mice had low anti-TNP Ficoll responses but did not produce B colonies in vitro. The role of the X chromosome in regulating expression of autoimmunity in young and old BXSB mice is discussed.     

Response of CBA/N mice to human B cell activating factor.

The in vitro antibody responses of CBA mutant and normal mice were studied with respect to their relative abilities to respond to stimulation by purified B cell activating factor (BAF). It was found that mice carrying the X-linked inability to respond to T-independent antigens can respond to BAF. This result is discussed with respect to the possibility that BAF exerts its effect on a subset of B cells distinct from those cells responsive to non-mitogenic T-independent antigens.     

IgA responses in xid mice: oral antigen primes Peyer's patch cells for in vitro immune responses and secretory antibody production

Because the gut-associated lymphoreticular tissue (GALT), e.g., Peyer's patches (PP), of X-linked immunodeficient (xid) mice possesses a subpopulation of mature B cells, we have characterized the ability of xid mice to respond to the thymic-dependent antigen sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) given by the oral route. Gastric intubation of SRBC to xid (CBA/N X DBA/2) F1 male or CBA/N mice, followed by the in vitro culture of dissociated PP cells with SRBC, resulted in IgM, IgG1, IgG2, and high IgA anti-SRBC plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses. The addition of unprimed PP but not splenic T cells to splenic xid B cell cultures resulted in IgM anti-SRBC PFC responses, suggesting the importance of GALT T cells for support of the immune responses to SRBC by splenic B cells from xid mice. Furthermore, purified PP T cells from SRBC orally primed xid mice supported in vitro IgA anti-SRBC PFC responses in B cell cultures from either the PP or the spleens of nonprimed xid mice. Higher IgA responses, however, occurred in PP, when compared with splenic B cell cultures. Additional evidence that the GALT of xid mice contains functional IgA precursor cells was provided by the finding that cloned H-2k PP T helper cells (PP Th A) supported IgA responses in PP B cell cultures derived from (CBA/N X C3H/HeN) F1 male (xid) mice. On the other hand, splenic B cells from these xid mice, in the presence of PP Th A cells, did not support in vitro responses. These results suggest that unique subpopulations of T cells occur in the GALT of xid and normal mice; one T cell subpopulation may induce immature B cells to become precursor IgA cells in the PP. A separate GALT T cell subpopulation, e.g., isotype-specific helper T cells, effectively collaborates with mature IgA B cells for the induction of IgA responses to orally administered antigen. When xid mice were gastric intubated with SRBC, followed by i.p. injection of SRBC, good splenic IgA anti-SRBC PFC responses were seen. Salivary and serum IgA antibodies were also detected in these xid mice. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the anti-SRBC response in xid mice was lower than that seen in similarly treated normal mice. These studies indicate that the GALT of both xid and normal mice possess unique populations of T cells that support in vitro responses in xid B cell cultures from either the spleen or the PP, which direct the mature B cell populations present toward IgA isotype-specific responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Cellular basis of B cell clonal populations in old mice.

Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that >85% of old mice have stable B cell clonal populations detectable by Ig heavy chain complementary-determining region 3 mRNA size analysis and confirmed by sequence analysis. B cells from the same clone are frequently detected in several lymphoid compartments of the same mouse. We now report the phenotype of all ten stable B cell clonal populations detected in five 20-month-old C57BL/6 mice. These clonal B cells appear to develop in the periphery and nine of the ten B cell clonal populations expressed the CD5 cell surface marker. Stable B cell expansions may be dominated by cells at two stages of differentiation. Some B cell populations were detected with DNA as well as RNA and represent large clonal populations of B cells, detectable in several lymphoid compartments. These populations are found predominantly in B cell populations expressing CD45R/B220 and the mRNA coding for the membrane-bound form of the mu Ig heavy chain, which suggests a predominance of B lymphocytes in these populations. In other cases, smaller clonal populations were detected only in splenic RNA samples. These clonal populations were found predominantly among CD45R/B220- B cells and did not express the membrane-bound form of the micro Ig heavy chain. We offer the hypothesis that the B cell clonal populations present in old mice may be precursors of the two types of B cell neoplasms which are dominated by CD5+ B cells (B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia) or plasma cells (multiple myeloma).     

Defective resistance to Plasmodium yoelii in CBA/N mice.

The role of B lymphocytes in resistance to malaria was studied in defective and normal F1 mice derived from CBA/N mice, a strain with an X-linked B cell defect. When infected with normally nonlethal Plasmodium yoelii, immune defective F1 male mice had higher parasitemias and more prolonged infections than normal F1 mice, as well as a 50% mortality rate. Before infection the plasma levels of IgM and IgG were lower in defective F1 males than normal F1 mice. The polyclonal IgM and IgG responses of infected abnormal F1 mice were delayed and lower in absolute magnitude than those of normal F1 mice. Furthermore, specific IgM and IgG anti-plasmodial antibody titers, as determined by radioimmunoassay, were depressed on day 12 in the defective F1 males. Although IgG titers approached those of the normal F1 mice on day 19, defective F1 male IgM titers remained depressed. These data demonstrate that an X-linked gene that affects B cell function influences malarial resistance in mice, presumably via a decreased specific IgM response, and the slow development of a specific IgG response to P. yoelii infection.     

B cell deficiency progresses with lineage maturation in nude.X-linked immunodeficient mice B cell deficiency progresses with lineage maturation.

Previously we showed that unlike normal, nude, or X-linked immune deficient (xid) mice, nude.xid mice are deficient in bone marrow pre-B cell targets for Abelson murine leukemia virus transformation. We show that nude.xid bone marrow is deficient in both CD45(B220)+ and CD45(B220)- surface (s)IgM- progenitors that give rise to B cell colonies in Whitlock-Witte cultures. CD45(B220)+ precursors had normal differentiation potential in vitro. CD45(B220)- precursors differentiated into CD45(B220)+ cells at the same rate as normal controls, but acquired sIgM at a much slower rate. These results correlated with the observation that in nude.xid mice the severity of B lineage defects correlates with maturity: a profound (ninefold) deficit of sIgM+, CD45(B220)+ mature B cells, a fivefold deficit in the sIgM-, CD45(B220)+ precursors of short term B cell colonies (colonies forming within 4-5 days in Whitlock-Witte cultures), and a moderate (twofold) decrease in the frequency of sIgM-, CD45(B220)- (less mature) precursors of long term B cell colonies (colonies forming after 14 days of Whitlock-Witte culture. Thus the combination of the nude and xid mutations produces a deficiency in early B cell progenitors and the deficiency becomes more profound with further maturation. Therefore the lack of mature B cells is the result of a cascade effect. Inasmuch as bone marrow progenitors are affected, and these are the source of the vast majority of B cells, most B cells are affected by the xid mutation and the xid defect cannot be attributed to a loss of a fetal lineage of B cells. These results suggest that xid affected cells lack the capacity to progress efficiently through differentiation in the absence of an exogenous factor(s) that is dependent on the product of a normal allele at the nude locus. This product might be supplied in vivo by a T cell or T cell-dependent source and/or epithelial elements such as bone marrow stromal cells all of which are known to be affected by the nude mutation.     

Retention of T cell reactivity to mitogens and alloantigens by Peyer's patch cells of aged mice

Immune function generally declines with advancing age. However, recent evidence suggests that this decline may differentially affect the lymphoid compartments comprising the immune system. The effect of age on the T cell-mediated competency of cells from two different lymphoid compartments, Peyer's patch (PP) and spleen, was studied. PP cells of aged C57BL/6 mice retained a greater capacity to proliferate in response to concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, and alloantigen and to generate alloimmune cytotoxic cells than did splenocytes of aged mice when compared with their young counterparts. These results could not be explained by significant shifts in the response kinetics or in the proportions of T cells in individual tissues. These results support the concept that lymphoid compartments are not equally sensitive to the deleterious effects of the aging process.