The frequency and fine specificity of B cells responsive to (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl in aged mice

The B-cell response to NP-Hy of two murine strains has been analyzed in order to evaluate the affects of aging on B-cell repertoire expression. The results indicate that for both BALB/c mice (Igha) and B10.D2 mice (Ighb) the frequency of (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP)-responsive splenic B cells is approximately twofold lower, on a per B cell basis, in aged mice as compared to young adults. However, as with previous assessments of the response to DNP-Hy in aged mice, the frequency of newly generated surface immunoglobulin negative bone marrow precursor cells specific for NP in aged BALB/c mice is the same as in young mice. The decrease in frequency of responsive splenic B cells is not accompanied by a measurable decrease in repertoire diversity or changes in clonotype distribution as assessed by representation of kappa vs lambda light chain-bearing antibodies, binding of monoclonal antibodies to a panel of analogues of NP, and the proportionate representation of B10.D2 monoclonal antibodies that bear NPb idiotypic determinants. By these criteria it appears that down-regulation of B cells as they mature and emerge from the bone marrow of aged mice is pan-specific and does not disproportionately affect B cells of a predominant clonotype family. Consistent with other investigations which have demonstrated differences in secreted antibodies of immunized aged vs young mice, we have observed that 4 weeks after immunization of B10.D2 mice with NP-BSA, the frequency of newly generated secondary B cells is lower in aged than in young mice and the generation of lambda-bearing secondary precursor cells is particularly low. Thus, clonotype-specific down-regulation may play a role in shaping the B-cell repertoire subsequent to immunization of aged mice.     

Differences in the repertoire expressed by peritoneal and splenic Ly-1 (CD5)+ B cells.

Purified populations of B cells expressing the Ly-1 and/or Mac-1 surface Ag were isolated from normal unmanipulated mice by cell sorting. The number of lymphocytes in each population secreting antibodies reactive with DNA, bromelain-treated mouse RBC, phosphorylcholine and TNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin was quantitated by ELISA spot assay. The proportion of B cells secreting Ig in vivo and the repertoire of antibodies they produced varied as a function of B cell phenotype and location. Among peritoneal lymphocytes, those that were Ly-1+ or Ly-1- Mac-1+ secreted Ig 10 times more frequently that Mac-1- Ly-1- B cells from the same location. In addition, the former populations expressed repertoires that were significantly skewed toward the production of antibodies reactive with bromelain-treated mouse RBC (p less than 0.001). In contrast, splenic B cells expressing the Ly-1 surface Ag did not differ significantly from splenic Ly-1- B cells in their expressed repertoire or frequency of Ig production. B cells isolated from the spleen and peritoneum tended to differ in antibody specificity from bone marrow and lymph node-derived lymphocytes. For example, B cells from the spleen secreted anti-DNA antibodies two to four times more frequently than B cells from other organs. These results demonstrate that phenotype and microenvironment influence the repertoire of antibodies expressed by B cells in vivo.     

Characteristics of in vitro production of antibodies to DNA in normal and autoimmune mice.

The in vitro production of antibodies to dsDNA was studied with spleen cells from normal and autoimmune mice. After culture for 4 days, the binding of dsDNA in the culture supernatant was measured by a radioimmunoprecipitation assay. The production of antibodies to dsDNA by spleen cells appeared at 15 hr after culture and reached a plateau at 24 hr. No antibodies were produced by thymus cells or splenic T cells. The specificity for dsDNA was shown by competitive inhibition with nonradioactive nucleic acids. Autoimmune strains of mice (NZB/NZW, BXSB, MRL/1) produced more antibodies to dsDNA than did several control strains. Young B/W mice and control strain mice produced mainly IgM antibodies, whereas older B/W mice produced predominantly IgG antibodies to dsDNA. The in vitro production of antibodies to dsDNA by aged B/W spleen cells was macrophage and T cell dependent.     

Differences in antibody repertoires for (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP) in splenic vs immature bone marrow precursor cells

To evaluate the contribution of environmental regulatory mechanisms in fashioning the primary B cell repertoire, we have compared the repertoire of (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP)-specific primary splenic B cells with that of precursor cells present as surface immunoglobulin-negative (sIg-) cells in adult bone marrow of C.B20 (Ighb) mice. Previous analyses using a variety of antigens have led to the conclusion that the antibody repertoire expressed in the spleen is similar to that expressed in newly generated B cell precursors with respect to both repertoire diversity and the representation of various predominant clonotypes. However, in the response to NP of C.B20 precursor cells, two marked disparities have been identified between the repertoire of sIg- bone marrow cells vs splenic precursor cells. The first concerns precursor cells that give rise to lambda-bearing NP-specific antibodies with heteroclitic fine specificity. Such antibodies normally dominate the primary response of Ighb mice; however, the representation of precursor cells giving rise to lambda-bearing antibodies is disproportionately low in the sIg- bone marrow cell population of C.B20 mice. Thus, during the maturation of these cells, post-sIg receptor expression, there is an apparent increase in the proportionate representation of lambda-bearing NP-specific cells. The second disparity concerns precursor cells whose antibody products bear kappa-light chains and exhibit high affinity and homoclitic binding for the NP haptenic determinant. Such precursor cells are poorly represented in the spleen, but represent a sizeable proportion of the sIg- NP-specific precursor cell population. Thus, there seems to be a selective elimination of high affinity, kappa-homoclitic anti-NP antibody-bearing cells as they acquire their sIg receptors. The elimination of this cell population could partially account for the dominance of lambda-heteroclitic antibodies in the serum responses to NP of C.B20 mice.     

Alteration in lymphocyte recognition repertoire during aging: II. Changes in the expressed T-cell receptor repertoire in aged mice and the persistence of that change after transplantation to a new differentiative environment

Changes in the T-lymphocyte alloreceptor repertoire associated with aging by exploring the frequency of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursors (CTLp) available for activation by various major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotypes in mice of different ages have been investigated. There was no consistent pattern of change in CTLp frequencies. Thus, for instance, while the frequency of responder C57Bl/6 CTLp for ATH alloantigen decreased with age, the frequency for C3H alloantigen increased. There was no significant change in the overall frequency of splenic CTLp (assessed irrespective of antigen specificity). No evidence was found that CTL produced by activated CTLp of aged mice were less specific in their lytic capacity that CTL produced by CTLp of young mice. However, by assaying responder CTLp cultures at limiting dilution we obtained evidence that the “burst size” (mean lytic capacity per responder well assayed at limiting dilution) was diminished with age of the donor of the CTLp pool. Furthermore, we obtained evidence that the apparent affinity of CTL for their target antigen was consistently decreased when those effector cells were derived from a pool of CTLp of aged mice. All of these changes reflected in mature T cells derived from aged mice were already apparent in the bone marrow stem cell pool of aged individuals and were not due to environmental influences alone, as assessed by the phenotype of T cells derived from young or old bone marrow stem cells transplanted to young or aged recipient mice. A final study has examined evidence for more subtle changes in the T-cell alloreceptor repertoire, reflecting heterogeneity in young or aged mice in the recognition repertoire associated with a given antigenic specificity. By preparing F₁ anti (parent anti-F₁)-suppressor cells directed against CTL from young parental mice (a, b, c), or aged parental mice (x, y, z), we have explored the heterogeneity in the anti-C3H alloreceptor repertoire in individual young or aged C57Bl/6 mice. Suppression by immunized F₁ animals was assessed in tissue culture (inhibition of mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) responses) or in vivo (inhibition of lethal GvHD induced by inoculation of parental lymphocytes into sublethally irradiated F₁ hybrid mice). Irrespective of the assay system used, the data suggests that the receptor repertoire of aged T lymphocytes uses recognition structures different from those of young individuals, and that there is less individual-to-individual variation in the receptor repertoire of aged mice than in young mice.     

In vitro effects of certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on mitogen activation of mouse T-lymphocytes: action of histamine

T lymphocytes were isolated from the spleens, thymuses, and bone marrow of three inbred mice strains, and the effects of two carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on the mitogen activation of these cells were assessed. Benzanthracene (BA) and 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA) enhanced mitogen activation of splenic T cells in a strain-related fashion: C3H greater than C57BL greater than DBA/2 (P less than 0.025). This pattern of strain relatedness was not observed in T cells from the other lymphoid organs. Mitogen activation was suppressed by histamine to a greater degree in T cells from PAH-responsive mice (C3H and C57BL) than in the nonresponsive strain (DBA/2). Histamine inhibited rosette formation between T cells and histamine-conjugated sheep red blood cells. A histamine suppressor factor (HSF), isolated from splenic lymphocytes grown in the presence of histamine or histamine plus MCA, was significantly higher in activity in culture supernatants from T cells derived from responsive mice than from nonresponsive mice. With the use of Lyt 1 and Lyt 2 monoclonal antibodies, it is shown that the baseline percentage of T helper and T suppressor cells was not significantly different in all three strains. Further, histamine and MCA had no effect on the expression of the Lyt 1 and Lyt 2 surface antigens on splenic lymphocytes. These results suggest that PAH-responsive mice may have more T-cell H2 receptors than T cells from nonresponsive mice. Histamine and PAH compounds may act on the same T-cell subsets, as evidenced by the fact that BA and MCA enhance blastogenesis, histamine suppresses mitogen activation, and these PAH compounds enhance histamine and HSF activity.     

Acquisition and maturation of expressed B cell repertoires in normal and autoimmune mice

The expressed B cell repertoires of mice from 1 day to 5 mo of age were examined. The ELISA-spot assay was used to enumerate individual Ig-secreting splenic B cells and determine the proportion of these cells producing antibodies reactive with each of six autoantigens and two conventional Ag. Results indicate that i) neonatal B cells producing antibodies against specific members of the Ag panel arose in a temporally defined sequence, ii) antibodies produced by 1- to 5-wk-old mice appeared to be more cross-reactive than those produced by adult mice, iii) no bias toward autoantibody production was found in the neonatal repertoires of autoimmune-prone mice, and iv) as a whole, the pattern of repertoire development among diverse strains of mice was highly conserved, although individual mice varied considerably in the absolute number of B cells committed to the production of antibodies of a given specificity.     

Altered VH gene segment utilization in the response to phosphorylcholine by aged mice

Newly generated bone marrow B cell precursors of aged BALB/c mice, stimulated in splenic fragment cultures, display a markedly increased frequency of phosphorylcholine (PC)-responsive cells. This increased frequency is found for both precursors that utilize VHS107, a phenotype common to essentially all PC-specific B cells of young mice, and, surprisingly, for precursors that utilize VH genes other than VHS107. PC-specific hybridomas derived from bone marrow cells of aged mice utilize members of at least three VH gene segment families that have never been observed in PC responses of young mice. The ability of aged but not young mice to generate these unique PC-specific clonotypes may be evidence for constraints on V region utilization during repertoire development in young adults and has important implications for aging-associated changes in immune responsiveness.     

Development of antigenic heterogeneity in the splenic meshwork of severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice after reconstitution with T and B lymphocytes

Recently, we produced monoclonal antibodies reacting specifically with the reticular meshwork (RM) of lymphoid tissues, and demonstrated that, in the splenic white pulp of normal mouse, the antigenic heterogeneity of RM was associated with the segregation of the T and B lymphocytes. In the present study, we attempted to visualize further the interaction between splenic RM and T and B lymphocytes transferred into severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. The splenic white pulp of naive SCID mice, containing a few T and B cells, showed little tendency for T-B segregation and antigenic diversity of RM. Transfer of spleen or bone marrow cells from normal mice resulted in complete recovery of lymphocyte populations, showing not only a clear segregation of T and B lymphocytes but also a remarkable antigenic diversity of RM. The same results were obtained following the transfer of spleen or bone marrow cells from the nude mouse. Next, we transferred purified T lymphocytes to one group of SCID mice and B cells to another. In mice given T cells, a few B cells were observed in the white puop; T lymphocytes lodged not only in the inner periarterial lymphatic sheath (PALS) but also in the outer PALS and follicles. In the animals to which B cells were transferred, T cells were few and the homing of B cells occurred only into their proper compartments, such as the outer PALS, follicles and marginal zone, but not in the inner PALS. Thus, B cells can home into their proper compartments of the splenic white pulp independently of T lymphocytes.     

Fluctuations in subsets of splenocytes and isotypes of Ig in young adult and aged mice resulting from Trypanosoma musculi infections.

A prominent feature of parasitic infections is the marked hyperplasia of lymphoid tissues. The resultant disruption of those tissues may be a major cause of the immunodepression that typifies parasitic infections. Trypanosoma musculi infections in mice evoke lymphoid hyperplasia and depressed immune responses. T. musculi infections are more severe in C3H than in C57BL/6 (B6) mice; and more severe in aged mice of either strain, compared with young adults. This report concerns a flow cytometric analysis of splenic leukocytes, identified by various surface Ag, in young and aged, trypanosome-infected mice of C3H and B6 strains. Companion studies included quantification of serum Ig isotypes at intervals during infection. The results support the following conclusions: a) all major types of splenic leukocytes were activated by trypanosome infection resulting in enlargement of the cells and proliferation ("blastogenic response"); b) in all young-adult mice and in aged B6 mice (but not aged C3H mice) Thy-1+, Ly-1+, and Ly-4+ cells increased moderately during infection whereas the number of Ly-2+ cells remained constant; c) all cells of the B lineage increased during the course of infection (except in aged C3H mice) with disproportionate increases in the most mature stage (IgG+); d) the responses of young adult C3H and B6 mice to infection differed as illustrated by the ability of B6, but not C3H, mice to limit hyperplasia and reverse the effect; e) aging of B6 mice was reflected by relative inability to regulate generation of mature Ig-producing cells; f) aging of C3H mice was severe as reflected by the relative inability of most subsets of leukocytes to react to the infection, possibly because of abnormalities that were intrinsic in aged, normal C3H mice. It is likely that: a) disruption of lymphoid tissue, probably mediated by alterations in the production of and responsiveness to cytokines, is responsible for the depressed ability of the immune system to defend against parasites; and b) such disruptive effects, being more pronounced in aged animals and less easily brought under control, account for the greater vulnerability of aged animals to parasitic infection.     

Diversity of T cell receptor-alpha chain transcripts from hyperimmune alloreactive T cells.

Alloreactive T cells represent a relatively large fraction of the T cell population compared with the fraction of T cells that are specific for other foreign Ag. Recent findings indicate that most alloreactive T cells recognize endogenous peptides in association with a non-self MHC product. In light of these observations, it is perhaps not surprising that previous studies of the size of the TCR-alpha beta repertoire among alloreactive cells showed that they express many different V alpha and V beta genes. To further access the extent of diversity among alloreactive cells, we examined V alpha J alpha combinatorial diversity in polyclonal populations of a BALB/c anti-BALB.B mixed lymphocyte response. A long term culture from naive mice contained a diverse repertoire of V alpha J alpha combinations that was similar to the diversity present among unstimulated splenic T cells. In contrast, long term cultures from hyperimmunized animals contained "dominant" clones of T cells that expressed a restricted repertoire of V alpha J alpha combinations. Examination of the nucleotide sequences of these alpha-chains suggested that there was selective expansion of T cells with identical alpha-chains. In addition, T cells that express the same V alpha J alpha combination but different junctions were also identified. Consistent with previous results, the isolates from hyperimmune animals did not contain somatic mutations in the CDR3 region of the alpha-chains. Nevertheless, the results suggest that T cells may be subject to in vivo selection and clonal expansion analogous to the process of affinity maturation of Ig.     

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)     

The affinity threshold for antigenic triggering differs for tolerance susceptible immature precursors vs mature primary B cells

The specificity of antibody responses is dependent on the extent to which a given antigen selectively stimulates cells from within a diverse B cell repertoire. Previous studies have shown that the triggering of B cells by T cell-dependent antigens is a highly discriminatory process, and that tolerance induction of immature B cells by antigen is equally discriminatory. This symmetry in the requirements for stimulation and tolerance induction could provide a basis for the capacity of antibody responses to discriminate among foreign antigens and yet minimize self recognition. The extent to which this potential for discriminate recognition is applicable to the mature immune system remains controversial, because B cells reactive to self antigens have been identified and, in addition, several investigators have identified heteroclitic immune responses, such as the response to NP of Ighb mice, wherein antibodies are found with higher affinities for analogues of the immunogen than for the immunogen itself. To further investigate the capacity of B cells to discriminate among closely related antigenic determinants, we analyzed the fine specificity and idiotypic distribution of monoclonal antibodies derived from both splenic B cells and immature sIg- bone marrow B cell precursors stimulated in fragment culture with NP-Hy and its structural analogues NIP-Hy and NNP-Hy. The results indicate that the majority of responsive B cells discriminate among these haptenic determinants; however, lambda-bearing B cells responsive to the NP and NIP determinants represent a highly overlapping set of clonotypes. Comparison of the responses to NP-Hy and NIP-Hy of splenic vs sIg- precursors of this clonotype family suggests that the T cell-dependent stimulation of both mature and immature B cells by antigen is highly affinity dependent. Significantly, the affinity thresholds for both stimulation and tolerance induction of immature B cells appears to be higher than that required for the stimulation of mature splenic B cells. Such a disparity in the requisites for triggering mature vs immature B cells could readily account for the presence of low-affinity self-reactive B cells in the mature B cell pools of normal individuals.     

Maintenance of peritoneal B-1a lymphocytes in the absence of the spleen

Positive selection by autoantigens is believed to play an important role in the generation/maintenance of B-1a cells. Recently, it has been described that splenectomy results in the loss of an already established B-1a cell pool. To elucidate whether the spleen influences the peritoneal B-1a repertoire, we have analyzed the consequences of splenectomy in the recently established IgL-transgenic L2 mouse model. L2 mice are characterized by a severe block of B-2 development and predominance of B-1a cells, which exhibit a pronounced IgH oligoclonality, presumably due to positive selection by autoantigens. In this study, we show that, in striking contrast to splenectomized normal mice, L2 mice exhibit unchanged frequencies of peritoneal B-1a cells. The IgH repertoire of these B-1a cells, however, was severely perturbed in that the previously described predominant B-1a H chains were no longer present. The repertoire changes were partial since phosphatidylcholine-specific B-1a cells were present in similar numbers before and after splenectomy. Thus, splenic Ags appear to act as "survival factors" for major subsets of peritoneal B cells. The loss of B-1a cells in the absence of such factors is compensated by repertoire changes among B-1a cells in B cell lymphopenic L2 but not normal mice.     

The limited diversity of the mouse gamma-chains anti-GAT repertoire does not seem to be noticeably amplified upon class switch

NH2-terminal sections of H and L chains isolated from five monoclonal anti-GAT antibodies derived from BALB/c mice have been sequenced upon to residue 43. Four among these five antibodies, sharing similar public idiotypic determinants, possess extremely conserved sequences, both for the H, which is apparented to the VH II type, and the L chains, which belong to the V kappa I subgroup. VH sequences are identical up to residue 43 and contain the common sequences (residues 1 to 32) defined for the H chains derived from the DBA/2 IgM anti-GAT monoclonal antibodies. Light chains are also remarkably conserved, a rather unusual situation for kappa-chains. The fifth antibody that expresses only part of the public idiotypic determinants contains very distinctive H and L chains. Its heavy chains are close to the VH I subgroup, whereas its kappa-chains permit definition of a new V kappa subgroup. The repertoire appears to be highly conserved between BALB/c and DBA/2 mice, and does not seem larger in IgG than in IgM antibodies. This latter observation does not speak in favor of a switch-linked amplification of diversity.     

The occurrence of anti-3-fucosyllactosamine antibodies and their cross-reactive idiotopes in preimmune and immune mouse sera

The carbohydrate determinant 3-fucosyllactosamine (3-FL), Gal(beta 1-4)[Fuc alpha 1-3]GlcNAc-R, which is also known as SSEA-1 or as the X determinant, is very immunogenic in BALB/c mice. Many monoclonal antibodies directed against this structure have been obtained by immunization of mice with murine teratocarcinomas and human carcinomas and myeloid cells. We have undertaken an analysis of the regulation of these antibodies and of their idiotypic, structural, and genetic diversity. We have described previously the preparation of syngeneic monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies (6C4 and 6B1) that reacted with 50% of a panel of monoclonal anti-3-FL antibodies. In this study, we have examined the occurrence of anti-3-FL antibodies and their cross-reactive idiotopes in the sera of unimmunized and immunized mice. All BALB/c sera examined had more naturally occurring antibodies against 3-FL than against four other glycolipid antigens, and the 6C4 and 6B1 idiotopes were also detected in these sera. Approximately 25% of the anti-3-FL antibodies could be removed from a pool of BALB/c sera by a 6C4 affinity column, and the eluate from this column exhibited strong binding to 3-FL antigens. After a single i.v. injection of a 3-FL-positive glycolipid coated on Salmonella minnesota, anti-3-FL titers rose in BALB/c mice. The level of 6B1 idiotope rose in most mice, but the idiotope level showed no correlation with anti-3-FL titers. Naturally occurring antibodies against 3-FL were also noted in the sera of AKR, C3H/He, DBA/2, BALB/c-nu/nu, and CBA/CaHN mice but not in C57BL/6, SM, or CBA/N mice. A single i.v. injection of antigen elicited an antibody response in C3H/He mice but not in C57BL/6, SM, or DBA/2 mice. These data indicate that several strains of mice have more naturally occurring IgM antibodies against the 3-FL structure than against other glycolipids, and that this response may be genetically regulated. The 6C4 and 6B1 cross-reactive idiotopes that we have identified previously on monoclonal antibodies are also present in preimmune and immune sera. The existence of a population of B lymphocytes that are primed against the 3-FL determinant accounts in part for the immunogenicity of this structure.     

Expression patterns of H2-O in mouse B cells and dendritic cells correlate with cell function

In the endosomes of APCs, the MHC class II-like molecule H2-M catalyzes the exchange of class II-associated invariant chain peptides (CLIP) for antigenic peptides. H2-O is another class II-like molecule that modulates the peptide exchange activity of H2-M. Although the expression pattern of H2-O in mice has not been fully evaluated, H2-O is expressed by thymic epithelial cells, B cells, and dendritic cells (DCs). In this study, we investigated H2-O, H2-M, and I-A(b)-CLIP expression patterns in B cell subsets during B cell development and activation. H2-O was first detected in the transitional 1 B cell subset and high levels were maintained in marginal zone and follicular B cells. H2-O levels were down-regulated specifically in germinal center B cells. Unexpectedly, we found that mouse B cells may have a pool of H2-O that is not associated with H2-M. Additionally, we further evaluate H2-O and H2-M interactions in mouse DCs, as well as H2-O expression in bone marrow-derived DCs. We also evaluated H2-O, H2-M, I-A(b), and I-A(b)-CLIP expression in splenic DC subsets, in which H2-O expression levels varied among the splenic DC subsets. Although it has previously been shown that H2-O modifies the peptide repertoire, H2-O expression did not alter DC presentation of a number of endogenous and exogenous Ags. Our further characterization of H2-O expression in DCs, as well as the identification of a potential free pool of H2-O in mouse splenic B cells, suggest that H2-O may have a yet to be elucidated role in immune responses.     

Antibody repertoires in humanized NOD-scid-IL2Rγ(null) mice and human B cells reveals human-like diversification and tolerance checkpoints in the mouse

Immunodeficient mice reconstituted with human hematopoietic stem cells enable the in vivo study of human hematopoiesis. In particular, NOD-scid-IL2Rγ^null engrafted mice have been shown to have reasonable levels of T and B cell repopulation and can mount T-cell dependent responses; however, antigen-specific B-cell responses in this model are generally poor. We explored whether developmental defects in the immunoglobulin gene repertoire might be partly responsible for the low level of antibody responses in this model. Roche 454 sequencing was used to obtain over 685,000 reads from cDNA encoding immunoglobulin heavy (IGH) and light (IGK and IGL) genes isolated from immature, naïve, or total splenic B cells in engrafted NOD-scid-IL2Rγ^null mice, and compared with over 940,000 reads from peripheral B cells of two healthy volunteers. We find that while naïve B-cell repertoires in humanized mice are chiefly indistinguishable from those in human blood B cells, and display highly correlated patterns of immunoglobulin gene segment use, the complementarity-determining region H3 (CDR-H3) repertoires are nevertheless extremely diverse and are specific for each individual. Despite this diversity, preferential D_H-J_H pairings repeatedly occur within the CDR-H3 interval that are strikingly similar across all repertoires examined, implying a genetic constraint imposed on repertoire generation. Moreover, CDR-H3 length, charged amino-acid content, and hydropathy are indistinguishable between humans and humanized mice, with no evidence of global autoimmune signatures. Importantly, however, a statistically greater usage of the inherently autoreactive IGHV4-34 and IGKV4-1 genes was observed in the newly formed immature B cells relative to naïve B or total splenic B cells in the humanized mice, a finding consistent with the deletion of autoreactive B cells in humans. Overall, our results provide evidence that key features of the primary repertoire are shaped by genetic factors intrinsic to human B cells and are principally unaltered by differences between mouse and human stromal microenvironments.     

The diversity of the secondary Salmonella typhimurium-specific B cell repertoire

This report describes the first analysis of the expressed B cell repertoire specific for a bacterium. In this study, responses to an acetone-killed and dried preparation of Salmonella typhimurium strain TML (AKD-TML) are described. The results show that AKD-TML can stimulate splenic B cells from primed CBA/Ca mice over a wide dose range. The average frequency of secondary TML-specific B cells is 16.4 per 10(5) splenic B cells. This frequency is similar to that observed for another complex, natural antigen, the hemagglutinin of influenza virus. The majority of all secondary TML-specific B cells (greater than 70%) secrete immunoglobulin M, but most of these clones also secrete other isotypes of which immunoglobulins G2 and A are the most prevalent. Analysis of the specificity of secondary TML-specific B cells showed that the vast majority of these B cells were specific for the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecule. Moreover, fine specificity analysis demonstrated that approximately two-thirds of these anti-LPS-specific B cell clones are directed against the core polysaccharides or lipid A regions of the LPS molecule, while only about one-third are directed toward the O antigen region. Since anti-S. typhimurium serum antibodies are directed primarily against the O antigens, these studies suggest that the serum levels of antibodies to a given epitope on a bacterial antigen may not be a true reflection of the expressed B cell repertoire when analyzed at the single B cell level. These studies also suggest that the role of antibodies to lipid A molecules in the development of protective immunity to S. typhimurium be reevaluated.     

Role of T cells in regulating expression of the B cell repertoire. Anti-ssDNA precursor frequency of DBA/2 B cells is increased in the presence of T cells from NZB mice

Splenic B cells from DBA/2 and NZB mice were compared with regard to precursor frequency of anti-ssDNA-producing cells. Using a modification of the splenic fragment assay, we show that NZB T cells are capable of increasing the frequency of expression of anti-ssDNA precursors in DBA/2 splenic B cells. When limiting numbers of splenic B cells of DBA/2 origin were adoptively transferred into an irradiated (1200 rad) recipient, the co-transfer of NZB T cells markedly increased the frequency of anti-ssDNA precursors in cultured splenic fragments. The anti-ssDNA produced under these conditions was exclusively IgM and exhibited a high degree of cross-reactivity with TNP and fluorescein. Thus, the increase in anti-ssDNA precursor frequency reflected an expansion of the B cell repertoire to include precursors of polyspecific antibody-producing cells that under normal circumstances are not expressed. The ability of NZB T cells to increase the anti-ssDNA precursor frequency was further defined by the CBA/N immunodeficiency gene xid, in that B cells from DBA/2.xid donors did not exhibit increased anti-ssDNA precursor frequency in the presence of NZB T cells. When NZB splenic B cells were co-transferred with DBA/2 T cells, the anti-DNA precursor frequency of the NZB B cells was not reduced. This study demonstrates that T cells can influence the emergency of B cell clones in an Ag-nonspecific manner. The well documented in vivo spontaneous polyclonal activation of NZB B cells may be secondary to T cell-mediated expansion of the B cell repertoire.