IL-21 and BAFF/BLyS synergize in stimulating plasma cell differentiation from a unique population of human splenic
Rachel Ettinger1, Gary P Sims, Rachel Robbins
1Autoimmunity Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. ettingerr@mail.nih.gov
Both constitutive Ig secretion by long-lived plasma cells (PC) and the recurrent differentiation of memory (mem) B cells into PC contribute to the maintenance of serologic mem. However, the relative contribution of each is unknown. In this study, we describe a novel population of human postswitched mem B cells that rapidly differentiate into PC and thus contribute to serologic mem. These IgG(+) B cells reside in the region of human spleen analogous to the murine marginal zone and have not previously been examined. These cells are highly responsive to IL-21 in the context of CD40 stimulation. Uniquely, IgG(+) marginal zone analog B cells are exquisitely sensitive to the combination of IL-21 and B cell-activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF/BLyS) that synergize in the absence of further costimulation to induce up-regulation of B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 and drive PC differentiation. Other cytokine combinations are not active in this regard. This is the first demonstration that this unique population of mem B cells can respond specifically and exclusively to IL-21 and BAFF/BLyS by differentiating into IgG-secreting PC, and thus contributing to serologic mem in an Ag-independent manner.
Both constitutive Ig secretion by long-lived plasma cells (PC) and the recurrent differentiation of memory (mem) B cells into PC contribute to the maintenance of serologic mem. However, the relative contribution of each is unknown. In this study, we describe a novel population of human postswitched mem B cells that rapidly differentiate into PC and thus contribute to serologic mem. These IgG(+) B cells reside in the region of human spleen analogous to the murine marginal zone and have not previously been examined. These cells are highly responsive to IL-21 in the context of CD40 stimulation. Uniquely, IgG(+) marginal zone analog B cells are exquisitely sensitive to the combination of IL-21 and B cell-activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF/BLyS) that synergize in the absence of further costimulation to induce up-regulation of B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 and drive PC differentiation. Other cytokine combinations are not active in this regard. This is the first demonstration that this unique population of mem B cells can respond specifically and exclusively to IL-21 and BAFF/BLyS by differentiating into IgG-secreting PC, and thus contributing to serologic mem in an Ag-independent manner.
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