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Follicular dendritic cells and B cell costimulation
G F Burton1, D H Conrad, A K Szakal
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond 23298-0678.
Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) provide crucial costimulatory signals that significantly enhance B cell proliferation and survival in germinal centers. These interactions are vital for an effective immune response.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Lymphocyte Function
Background:
- Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) are located in lymphoid tissues, closely associated with proliferating B lymphocytes.
- It is hypothesized that FDC provide costimulatory signals essential for antigen-driven B cell proliferation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of FDC in costimulating B cell proliferation.
- To determine if FDC enhance B cell responses to activation signals.
Main Methods:
- Culturing FDC with B cells activated by slg-dependent or -independent pathways.
- Measuring B cell proliferation using [3H]thymidine incorporation.
- Depleting FDC and using highly purified FDC to assess their accessory activity.
Main Results:
- FDC addition significantly augmented B cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner.
- FDC depletion abrogated the increased proliferation, confirming their essential role.
- Purified FDC provided costimulation, while other sorted cells did not.
- FDC enhanced B cell viability and proliferation over the entire culture period.
Conclusions:
- FDC provide essential costimulatory signals that facilitate B cell proliferation and survival.
- These interactions contribute to the favorable microenvironment of the germinal center for B cells.
- FDC activity is independent of T cell help in this model.