B cells amplify IFN-γ production by T cells via a TNF-α-mediated mechanism

LC Menard, LA Minns, S Darche… - The Journal of …, 2007 - journals.aai.org
LC Menard, LA Minns, S Darche, DW Mielcarz, DM Foureau, D Roos, F Dzierszinski…
The Journal of Immunology, 2007journals.aai.org
Aside from being the precursors of the Ab-secreting cells, B cells are engaged in other
immune functions such as Ag presentation to T cells or cytokine production. These functions
may contribute to the pathogenic role of B cells in a wide range of autoimmune diseases. We
demonstrate that B cells acquire the capacity to amplify IFN-γ production by CD4 and CD8 T
cells during the course of the Th1 inflammatory response to Toxoplasma gondii infection.
Using the two following different strategies, we observed that B cells from T. gondii-infected …
Abstract
Aside from being the precursors of the Ab-secreting cells, B cells are engaged in other immune functions such as Ag presentation to T cells or cytokine production. These functions may contribute to the pathogenic role of B cells in a wide range of autoimmune diseases. We demonstrate that B cells acquire the capacity to amplify IFN-γ production by CD4 and CD8 T cells during the course of the Th1 inflammatory response to Toxoplasma gondii infection. Using the two following different strategies, we observed that B cells from T. gondii-infected mice, but not from naive mice, induce higher IFN-γ expression by splenic host T cells: 1) reconstitution of B cell-deficient mice with B cells expressing an alloantigen different from the recipients, and 2) adoptive transfer of B and T cells into RAG−/− mice. In vitro assays allowing the physical separation of T and B cells demonstrate that Ag-primed B cells enhance IFN-γ production by T cells in a contact-dependent fashion. Using an OVA-transgenic strain of T. gondii and OVA-specific CD4 T cells, we observed that the proinflammatory effect of B cells is neither Ag specific nor requires MHCII expression. However, TNF-α expressed on the surface of B cells appears to mediate in part the up-regulation of IFN-γ by the effector T cells.
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