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CD4+ T cell activation and tolerance induction in B cell knockout mice
J A Phillips1, C G Romball, M V Hobbs
1Department of Immunology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|April 1, 1996
Summary
B cells are not required for inducing peripheral T cell tolerance to protein antigens. This finding suggests that B cell antigen presentation is not essential for establishing tolerance, challenging existing theories.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- T cell tolerance
- B cell function
Background:
- The role of B cells in initiating T cell tolerance is debated.
- Antigen presentation by B cells is a potential mechanism for tolerance induction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if B cells are essential for establishing CD4+ T cell tolerance.
- To determine the role of B cell antigen presentation in peripheral tolerance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized B cell knockout mice (microMT/microMT).
- Administered exogenous protein antigen with adjuvant.
- Assessed CD4+ T cell responses in vitro, including cytokine production and proliferation.
- Induced peripheral tolerance with a single dose of deaggregated protein.
Main Results:
- CD4+ T cells from B cell knockout mice showed proliferative and cytokine responses upon antigen challenge.
- Peripheral tolerance was successfully induced in B cell knockout mice.
- Induced tolerance involved suppression of both T helper type 1 (Th1) and T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokine production.
Conclusions:
- B cells are not required for the induction of peripheral T cell tolerance to protein antigens.
- B cell antigen presentation is not the primary mechanism for inducing this type of tolerance.
- The dual zone tolerance theory may not apply to all protein antigens or is not solely mediated by B cells.