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Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Flow Cytometric Characterization of Murine B Cell Development
Published on: January 22, 2021
CD36 is differentially expressed on B cell subsets during development and in responses to antigen
Woong-Jai Won1, Martin F Bachmann, John F Kearney
1Division of Developmental and Clinical Immunology, Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294-2182, USA.
CD36, a scavenger receptor, does not impact B cell development but modulates antibody responses to Streptococcus pneumoniae. CD36 and TLR2 may cooperate in these immune responses.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- CD36 is a scavenger receptor expressed on marginal zone (MZ) B cells.
- Its expression changes upon stimulation and during B cell differentiation.
- The role of CD36 in B cell development and antibody production is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of CD36 in B cell development and antibody responses.
- To determine the effect of CD36 deficiency on B cell populations and antibody titers.
- To explore the potential cooperation between CD36 and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in immune responses.
Main Methods:
- Generation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against MZ B cells.
- Phenotypic analysis of B cells in CD36 knockout (CD36-/-) mice.
- Assessment of antibody responses to Streptococcus pneumoniae in wild-type and CD36-/- mice.
- Analysis of B cell development and antibody production in mice deficient in both TLR2 and CD36.
Main Results:
- CD36 is expressed on MZ B cells and induced on follicular B cells upon stimulation.
- CD36 expression is dynamic during plasma cell differentiation.
- B cell development and MZ B cell phenotype are largely normal in CD36-/- mice, with a minor block in transitional B cell stages.
- Primary and secondary antibody responses to Streptococcus pneumoniae were slightly reduced in CD36-/- mice.
- Mice deficient in both TLR2 and CD36 showed significantly reduced anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) IgG titers compared to single gene-deficient mice, suggesting synergistic roles.
Conclusions:
- CD36 plays a modulatory role, rather than a critical developmental role, in B cell responses.
- CD36 influences both primary and secondary antibody production against Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- CD36 and TLR2 may cooperate in mounting an effective anti-PC antibody response.
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