Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Establishment of Epstein-Barr Virus Growth-transformed Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines
Published on: November 8, 2011
Stimulation of germinal center B lymphocyte proliferation by an FDC-like cell line, HK
H S Kim1, X Zhang, E Klyushnenkova
1Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, New Orleans, LA 70121, USA.
Insights
Researchers developed an FDC-like cell line (HK) to study germinal center (GC) B cell interactions. HK cells rescue GC B cells from apoptosis and promote their differentiation into memory B cells, suggesting a role for FDC in B cell maturation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) are crucial for germinal center (GC) B cell survival and maturation.
- Understanding the signals FDCs provide to GC B cells is essential for deciphering adaptive immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish and characterize an FDC-like cell line (HK) for studying FDC-B cell interactions.
- To investigate the role of FDC-like cells in the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of germinal center B cells.
Main Methods:
- Establishment of an FDC-like cell line (HK).
- Purification of tonsillar B lymphocyte subpopulations based on IgD, CD38, and CD44 surface markers.
- Co-culture experiments assessing B cell apoptosis, proliferation, and differentiation in the presence of HK cells and co-stimulatory signals (anti-mu, anti-CD40).
Main Results:
- HK cells preferentially bind and rescue IgD- B cells from apoptosis.
- HK cells, in conjunction with anti-mu or anti-CD40, significantly enhance B cell proliferation.
- HK cells stimulate GC B cells (IgD-CD38+) to generate CD38-CD44+ memory B cells, indicating a role in B cell memory formation.
- HK cells release soluble factors that contribute to co-stimulation.
Conclusions:
- The established FDC-like cell line (HK) effectively mimics key FDC functions in vitro.
- HK cells play a significant role in the survival, rescue, and differentiation of GC B cells into memory B cells.
- These findings support the hypothesis that HK cells are derived from FDC and provide insights into FDC-mediated B cell regulation.
Abstract:
To identify the signals given to the germinal center (GC) B cells by FDC, we have established an FDC-like cell line, HK. HK cells have the important functions of FDC, which are the preferential binding and stimulation of GC B cells. Cell-cell interaction between IgD- B cells and HK cells resulted in the rescue of these cells from apoptosis, whereas the majority of unbound B cells or B cells cultured in the absence of HK cells underwent apoptosis. We investigated the effects of HK cells on the subpopulations of tonsillar B lymphocytes that are at different stages of maturation and differentiation. The subpopulations of tonsillar B cells were purified by panning and/or MACS according to the surface expression of IgD, CD38, and CD44. Although HK cells alone did not stimulate B cell proliferation, HK cells in the presence of either anti-mu or anti-CD40 significantly enhanced the proliferation of B cells. The data show that HK cells preferentially bind, rescue, and stimulate GC B cells (IgD-CD38+) generating CD38-CD44+ memory B cells. The costimulation activity of HK cells is also provided in a form of soluble factor(s). Hence, the phenotypic and functional analysis of HK cells suggests that these cells may be derived from FDC.
