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10:26
In Vitro Differentiation Model of Human Normal Memory B Cells to Long-lived Plasma Cells
Published on: January 20, 2019
Understanding and making use of human memory B cells
Antonio Lanzavecchia1, Nadia Bernasconi, Elisabetta Traggiai
1Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Bellinzona, Switzerland. lanzavecchia@irb.unisi.ch
Immunological Reviews
|July 11, 2006
Summary
Human memory B cells act like stem cells, generating antibodies independently of antigen exposure. This discovery aids in developing new antibody therapies and vaccines.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Human memory B cells are crucial for rapid and robust secondary immune responses.
- Understanding their activation and differentiation is key to effective vaccine and antibody-based therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distinct triggering requirements of naive versus memory B cells.
- To model the dynamics of memory B cells and antibody production during immune responses.
- To develop a method for isolating human monoclonal antibodies.
Main Methods:
- In vitro dissection of B cell triggering requirements, focusing on Toll-like Receptors (TLRs).
- Ex vivo analysis of memory B cell and antibody-secreting cell (ASC) dynamics.
- Quantitative modeling of serological memory based on experimental data.
Main Results:
- Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) play a differential role in activating naive and memory B cells.
- A model of serological memory demonstrates memory B cells function as 'stem cells'.
- Memory B cells can generate plasma cells and antibodies both with and without antigen stimulation.
Conclusions:
- Memory B cells possess stem-like properties, enabling sustained antibody production.
- An efficient method for interrogating human memory B cells and isolating monoclonal antibodies was developed.
- This methodology has potential applications in serotherapy and analytic vaccinology.
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