A fail-safe mechanism for negative selection of isotype-switched B cell precursors is regulated by the Fas/FasL pathway

J Seagal, E Edry, Z Keren, N Leider, O Benny… - The Journal of …, 2003 - rupress.org
J Seagal, E Edry, Z Keren, N Leider, O Benny, M Machluf, D Melamed
The Journal of experimental medicine, 2003rupress.org
In B lymphocytes, immunoglobulin (Ig) M receptors drive development and construction of
naive repertoire, whereas IgG receptors promote formation of the memory B cell
compartment. This isotype switching process requires appropriate B cell activation and T cell
help. In the absence of T cell help, activated B cells undergo Fas-mediated apoptosis, a
peripheral mechanism contributing to the establishment of self-tolerance. Using Igμ-deficient
μMT mouse model, where B cell development is blocked at pro-B stage, here we show an …
In B lymphocytes, immunoglobulin (Ig)M receptors drive development and construction of naive repertoire, whereas IgG receptors promote formation of the memory B cell compartment. This isotype switching process requires appropriate B cell activation and T cell help. In the absence of T cell help, activated B cells undergo Fas-mediated apoptosis, a peripheral mechanism contributing to the establishment of self-tolerance. Using Igμ-deficient μMT mouse model, where B cell development is blocked at pro-B stage, here we show an alternative developmental pathway used by isotype-switched B cell precursors. We find that isotype switching occurs normally in B cell precursors and is T independent. Ongoing isotype switching was found in both normal and μMT B cell development as reflected by detection of IgG1 germline and postswitch transcripts as well as activation-induced cytidine deaminase expression, resulting in the generation of IgG-expressing cells. These isotype-switched B cells are negatively selected by Fas pathway, as blocking the Fas/FasL interaction rescues the development of isotype-switched B cells in vivo and in vitro. Similar to memory B cells, isotype-switched B cells have a marginal zone phenotype. We suggest a novel developmental pathway used by isotype-switched B cell precursors that effectively circumvents peripheral tolerance requirements. This developmental pathway, however, is strictly controlled by Fas/FasL interaction to prevent B cell autoimmunity.
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