IL-6 independent monocyte/B cell defect in renal transplant recipients with long-term stable graft function

We showed previously that the B cell response in renal transplant recipients with long-term stable graft function (ST patients) is significantly affected by T suppressor activity. To further assess the role of the monocyte/B cell compartment in B cell regulation, we tested B cell responses in 30 ST patients (> 1 year after transplant) and 15 patients with chronic rejection (CR patients). PWM was used for T cell-dependent B cell stimulation in an allogeneic coculture system, and SAC I for T cell- and monocyte-independent B cell stimulation. B cell responses were assessed in a reverse hemolytic plaque assay and by ELISA determination of IgM, IgG, and IL-6 in culture supernatants. In PWM-stimulated cultures of ST patients, we found a diminished immunoglobulin-secreting cell (ISC) formation (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.05, compared with controls and CR patients, respectively) and diminished IgM secretion (P = 0.06 and P < 0.01, respectively), whereas CR patients and controls were not significantly different. Two of 35 (6%) controls and 3 of 15 (20%) CR patients, in contrast to 20 of 30 (67%) ST patients, displayed defective ISC formation (P < 0.0001). This defective B cell response may be the result of reduced CD36+ monocyte counts in ST patients (P < 0.005), as PWM-stimulated B cell responses and CD36+ cell counts were significantly associated (P < 0.05, ISC and IgM response). A role of monocytes in the impairment of B cell function is further supported by decreased plasma neopterin levels in ST compared with CR patients (P = 0.0001), a significant association between plasma neopterin and PWM-stimulated B cell responses (P < 0.05, ISC response; P = 0.0001, IgM response), and by the finding that B cell responses in ST patients after monocyte-independent stimulation with SAC I were unaffected. ST and CR patients showed no significant differences in B cell subsets, plasma IL-6, or IL-6 responses of mitogen-stimulated cultures. Our data indicate that an IL-6-independent monocyte or B cell defect plays a role in the maintenance of stable transplant function.